Karma Chameleon
by Jennibelle
Summary: Every step I took was one more into darkness. Chapter 11 up!
1. Chapter point5

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Karma Chameleon

It was another one of those lazy summer nights where the hustle and bustle of nature and time seemed to be at a stand-still. I was sprawled in the bottom of an old rowboat, floating lazily around somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. The salty air was thick and sticky with humidity. I felt the heaviness of the air draping its way over me, slowly smothering me, but in a good way. I was drained of energy and passion, and moving just seemed to take too much energy, but I sat up eventually and peered into the night around me. Pure black darkness surrounded me on all sides, interrupted only by the large reflection of a full moon and it's tiny little, shining followers. The water was deadly calm, and an eerie panic rose in the back of my mind. The ocean was never this still…never. Out of the corner of my eye I saw something move, and I turned my head sharply to meet it. A single patch of water was moving and waving on itself. Nothing else seemed to be moving…except that patch of water.

The waves suddenly swelled and moved outward, clumping thousands of tiny star-lights into shapely glittering masses. A silent wisp of familiarity flew in and out of my mind. It was an odd feeling, not quite déjà vu, but yet I sensed I had seen this somewhere before. My curiosity overwhelmed me, and I had to look over the side of my boat, as if something was calling for me. I moved slowly, praying it was not a shark as I peered over the edge and came so close to the water that my breath sent their own little undulating ripples. I breathed heavier and the shimmering clumps of stars shifted. They were ever moving, always twisting and writing like little glittery worms. They seemed to taunt my eyes, daring them, 'Can you follow us?' I sat still and watched the strange spectacle for a while, and soon it was impossible to pull away from it.

I was entranced and put in some sort of a hypnotic state as I stared, very much glazed over, at the water in front of me. Suddenly, the water froze again. Not even my breath could disturb it. The reflections of the stars were still and the tiny light balls, forever stuck in a velvety-black curtain, stopped twinkling. These were not constellations I had ever seen before. I was leaning inches from the water when sudden silence rang in my ears. The world, as I knew it, was wrapped in a muffler. The air around me grew denser, and a breeze wound its way around me. _"Wendy…" _It whispered and every hair stood quickly erect on the back of my neck, yet I stayed there my nose almost brushing the stationary water.

Abruptly, a new memory slammed into my mind, no really it _slammed_. I took a sharp breath, and in a blur of motion a pair of mossy, webbed hands grabbed my shoulders pulling me into the water. I tried to scream, but instead I swallowed a massive amount of very foul salt-water. My eyes burned with it for another moment, and finally I broke the surface next to my boat. I held on to the side as my lungs began to expel the rancid water. I wanted to scream but I couldn't…what was _that_? I felt as if my heart had stopped thudding for a full minute and was now speeding to make up for the beats it had lost.

I pulled myself into the dinky little rowboat, taking with me a fair share of ocean water. Breathless, I lied in my boat, ignoring the water tickling my ears. "Insane." The sound of my own shaky voice made me aware of the sharp return of sound at all.

I, Beatriz Indy, was going bonkers. It was the only explanation I would accept. It's probably a shame that one of my worst habits was lying to myself. Looking up into the sky I finally realized how dark it was. And it scared me for the first time in my life.

'Mom's gonna kill me…,'I thought. I checked my watch, "DAMN!" It had stopped and the hands were waving at me frantically from a watery grave as I attempted to revive it by shaking it violently. The moon was far past its peak in the sky. I pondered, 'Maybe I just dozed off. People do that all the time, right...fall asleep while looking at a peaceful lake…' That was the only explanation for my hallucination. Wasn't it?

There I was in a perfectly pitiful state basking in seawater filled boat and feeling it seeping into every pore. I knew if I didn't get dry soon it would soon start a mad poison-ivy like itching sensation in places I'd rather not itch. Gathering what was left of my self respect; I took the oars and quickly paddled toward my house. The glittering shapes teased me from the water and I leered at them. The shapes shifted again and I almost screamed when my boat hit the bank. I speeded across the sandy beach, and the porch stairs rattled as I bolted up them as fast as I could. I ran towards whatever security my room could offer. Which frankly, as I would soon come to realize…was none.

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	2. Nausea

You've gotta understand, I just HAD to go back and add this chapter. The Bea in my head was screaming, "Wait a sec! You're moving way to fast! You don't even know me!" I thought she was referring to her recent meeting with Peter, but I soon found that it was something completely different. I didn't fully know Bea. You'll be glad to know, that I do now, thank God. And hopefully you will get to know Bea a little better after this chapter. Cheers!

With Mucho Love,

Gwen

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Nausea

I didn't sleep very well that night, and I opened my eyes the next morning feeling a little nauseous. It was a weird feeling for me considering, I hadn't been sick since about fifth grade, so I did my best to ignore the uncomfortable sloshing of my stomach. I stumbled out of bed, wiping the sleep from my eyes, and stumbled to my chest of drawers. Groggily, I reached out and gripped one of the knobs and pulled.

_Snap!_

The old knob came right off in my hand. It was probably at least six-thirty in the morning, not to mention that I didn't have much sleep last night to boot. Needless to say, I was a teensy bit pissed off. Grumbling, I threw the knob and it landed on the floor with a thump. I thrust my nails into the drawer, pleading for one to pop out. Several curses and snapped nails later, I managed to pull one out. In a haze, I threw on some black Soffe shorts and a hot pink top that read "Kiss My Butt!". It had a little blue bunny under the savvy slogan that pointed to its kissy-lipsticked bottom. Completely _couture_. Most of my wardrobe consisted mainly of those two colors; various shades of pink and black. The better to bring out the hot pink hair cropped short on my head. It used to be blonde and long past my butt, but who wants that? Definitely not me.

I pulled my hair into a messy little ponytail that was slightly crooked and pushed my bangs to the side. They were getting kind of long, and one of these days I knew I would be scissor happy. Today was not that day, so I opened my door and tiptoed out. Now I'm not weird, normally I wouldn't have tiptoed out, but I didn't want to deal with the insanity that is my parents just that moment. Luckily, they both seemed to be gone.

My mom was probably at work. She owned a small antique boutique in town called "The Swashbuckler", damn cool name if you ask me. Not so much of a damn cool woman…but I'll get to that later. Apparently, we got a lot of money from that, but hell If I knew where it went. The house needed a good painting and the only car we owned was an '85 4x4. We did have a little shrimping boat that we called the 'yacht' moored off the deck behind our house, but it was a pretty crappy one. I'm not even sure where my mother obtained the antiques to sell, but she sure had a lot of them. Once she had this little gold, velvet-lined box that was filled with pearls, diamonds, and gold. It was sitting in our living room one afternoon, and naturally I was curious. What girl wouldn't be curious about a massive amount of precious metals and gemstones just chillin' in their living room? Right before I could even finger a pearl she snapped the lid shut and snatched the mini treasure chest from under my eyes about a second later…bitch.

My dad…well, he didn't do much at all. It was actually a rarity when he was out of the house. He had a fascination with and was in love with the television, and (when he did go out) spent hours out at sea in the yacht. He always seemed to be looking for something he couldn't find, and his journey usually led him to the ocean. I'd accompanied him on many a voyage to nowhere. My dad was my best friend; call me daddy's little girl if you want to because that's what I was. A picture of the two of us smiled from the blue refrigerator as I tugged on the handle to open it and grabbed a banana. I threw open the back door and plodded down the steps into the garage. Mind you, it wasn't really a garage per-se. Living in Hawaii mean that everything was kind of open-air. I lived in one of those houses where window meant screen covering a hole in the wall.

I grabbed a blue surfboard and pulled the pink and black bikini and pink shorts that were hanging on a hook next to it. They were still kind of soggy from the night before. Remembering, I kind of shuddered. Imagination was not my cup of tea, and when that wind blew into my ear I could have sworn it said something to me. Throwing it out of my mind I walked to my dune buggy, go-cart thing. It was something my dad and I bought together. I had made a killing the year before painting a mural on a tourist trap store and bought the, fondly named, Duner with the fruits of my labor. It was very handy, and I actually found a way to attach my surfboard to the roof for transport. The best thing was, I didn't even need a license.

I drove that thing everywhere. There weren't very many places to go, but it was cool nonetheless. I lived on the island of Kauai and the closest city was Lihue. Luckily, I lived near the beach or I would have been a very bored little girl. I revved up the engine and squealed out of the driveway. It was a perfectly Hawaiian sunshine-y day and the palm trees shivered with a gentle breeze. My spirits lifted a bit and I even cracked a little smile as I pressed down the gas. The palm trees blurred at my sides as I sped down the deserted road toward Caroline's house. The surf must be killer today, and today was definitely the day I would finally teach her how to surf.

Caroline was my best and almost only friend. We met in first grade and still managed to stay friends even though she was a year ahead of me. I'd love to say that she skipped a grade because she's a genius and all, but she didn't. Don't get me wrong, Caroline is the most intelligent girl I know, for all I know she probably had the chance to skip a grade. Sadly, I was…shall we call it…educationally deficient. I was just getting out of my eighth grade year at Aire Junior High, and she was becoming a sophomore at Willow High School. We were the same age, 14, but I was older by about two weeks. Both of our birthdays were in July, and we usually celebrated them together. She used to be a nerd, but ever since she got contact lenses after grade-school, she's been bogged down with boy-attention.

I wasn't surprised with this considering she had the most kick-ass genes in the world. Her mother was a full Hawaiian that could trace her lineage back like a thousand years or something, and her dad was an African American that came from the mainland. Apparently, he came here on vacation and never left. Aw. She inherited her mother's long black hair, her dad's caramel skin, and her facial features rivaled Beyonce's. Lucky shit. I got stuck with catty blue eyes and lanky limbs.

I zoomed into her driveway, narrowly missing her colorful, lily-painted mailbox. I slammed on the breaks and came to a halting stop with a loud squeal. It was still pretty early, about 7:30, but it seemed that Caroline's parents had already left for work. I heard a thump and something that sounded like an angry dog from the left side of the house and the blinds flew up in one of the windows. "I swear to GOD, Bea!" she huffed. "What could you possibly want at this hour of the morning?" Her exasperation was blinding, but it only amused me further.

I smirked and stood up in the seat of my Duner and rested my butt on the metal caging of the vehicle. "Today is the day I am teaching you how to surf," I said as if it were the greatest thing in the world.

She crossed her arms and gave me a look that said 'over-my-dead-body'. "Come on, Caroline," I pleaded. "What about that board your dad bought you last Christmas. That thing was at least two-hundred bucks. You're not just gonna let that thing collect dust and rot in your garage are you?" She continued glaring at me. I quickly thought of something clever to say. "Caroline, think of it this way…You could be spending hundreds of dollars for a gorgeous surf instructor to teach you next to nothing, but here I am offering to do it for free!" Reluctantly, she dropped her arms to her sides and said a halfhearted, "Whatever," and motioned for me to come in. I smiled, and ran up the porch and through her front door.

Her house looked a lot better than mine, heck it even smelled better. Her parents decorated it with flowers and vases and cool pottery. They even had bookends, which is weird for me. I plopped down on her white couch and looked at the wall of pictures directly opposite to me. At the very top of the wall there was a picture of Caroline's parents posing together. Aw. Aliikai and Laurence Brown, they were possibly the cutest couple I had ever seen. Well comparing them to _my_ parents, anyway. Below that was a picture of Caroline's older brother Damien. He was going to be a senior this year, and a mighty attractive one at that. He was a baby in the picture, but he had grown into a tall, strong, full bodied male with shaggy, curly black hair and dark brown eyes. Yea, I know, _wow_. The picture below Damien's, however, gave me a slight twinge of remorse.

There was not one, but two people in the picture. Caroline and her twin sister Kalea. Kalea was younger by five minutes, and they looked exactly alike. They smiled cute little baby smiles at me from the brass picture frame. I wondered if we would have been friends if she hadn't…well…died.

It's actually a pretty horrible story. They were both six and it was the summer right after kindergarten. Caroline's aunt was this cool, loaded lady, and she had bought three Disney Cruise Line tickets for the month after they got out of school. Damien was traveling to Japan for some kind of genius kid convention, so her aunt decided she would invite Caroline and her sister Kalea to join her in two weeks of heavenly Disney bliss. Luckily, Caroline developed a bad case of mononucleosis the week before the cruise and had to stay home, as she was highly contagious. Kalea went ahead and left with her aunt. Caroline didn't even get to say goodbye, she was at home, sleeping in her bed. The ship let off and after just three days something happened. It disappeared. Nobody knows where, or how, or if it even hit something. The entire ship was just gone, including all of the people on it. Right next to the picture of Kalea and Caroline, there was a picture of a laughing Hawaiian lady rolling on the ground with two little dark girls tickling her.

Directly to the right of the family portraits was a giant portrait. Curious, I got off the couch to study it. Weirdly, I had never noticed it before…maybe it was new, I'll never know. The scene depicted a small Hawaiian girl dressed in a flowing purple dress of many hues. Bright, glittering wings sprouted from her shoulders, and she lay curled up surrounded by lush green foliage. I looked harder and saw that she was sleeping. I was studying her wings again when I thought I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I glanced at the faerie's head and saw what I thought was her fluttering her eyes at me…I shook my head and rubbed my eyes…she was still sleeping.

"So, let's do it to it, babe." I turned my head, and Caroline was standing there pulling long black hair into a ponytail. I stood up and we walked out the door together.

"What is that even supposed to mean, 'Let's do it to it'. Who talks like that? Probably just you crazy high-schoolers." I teased as we made our way down her porch.

"Well, at least you'll be in on the fun next year…finally," she teased back. She stuck a nerve, though. I hated it when she talked about how I got held back…I hated how anyone talked about it.

"Shut up," I snapped as I climbed into the Duner.

"Okay, okay," Caroline said backing off a little. She knew I hated that. She looked apprehensively at the Duner. "You promise you won't try to kill me like you did the last time, right."

I nodded with a sincere face.

"You better not," she crabbed as she made her way in. "I swear if you speed down the street like you did the last time, I don't know what I'm gonna do--", she grumbled as I backed out of her driveway.

I faced the road ahead of us and slammed my foot on the accelerator. I smiled, 'I'm such a dirty liar,' and gunned it down the road. The sound of Caroline's scream woke up the whole neighborhood.

….

I was sitting on my board, floating in the ocean watching Caroline wipe out yet again. She resurfaced, fetched her board, and paddled clumsily my way. "I really suck," she grumbled when she finally reached me.

I was sympathetic…she really was pretty horrible. "Don't worry, I mean, you're just a beginner. You've barely even started. Just remember, steer with the front of your board, not the back."

"Whatever that's supposed to mean!" She sighed frustrated.

"Just, don't give up your day-job…speaking of that. How did you end the school year? Top of the class I bet…," It was kind of sad that I wasn't a freshman this year, but I put it behind me and faked enthusiasm for my best friend.

"Almost…I finished second. That bitch Emally Donsworth beat me. God, I hate her," and she launched into a story about how some girl got more academic awards than her or something. I wasn't listening, I sort of glazed over. I did that with anything academic or educational, nothing of that nature seemed to hold my interest. Teachers told me that I might've had ADD or something. I never got formally tested, but it would explain a lot.

When she finished I asked, "Got a boyfriend yet?" This time I actually cared. Guys were never really interested in me. I was the weird surfer girl with pink hair, but all of a sudden they were really interested in Caroline. So what was wrong with living through her just a little bit? Anyway, even if guys became interested in me, I honestly don't know what I would have done. Throw up maybe?

Caroline laughed and answered, "Hah, Daniel Radcliffe." My interest peaked again.

"Oooh, who is this mysterious Mr. Radcliffe."

"Oh you know him, he's the guy that plays Harry Potter," Caroline added with a grin.

"Oh puh-lease. Shut up about those stupid books and please just go make out, with someone…anyone," how could I live through Caroline if she wasn't taking up her on her boy-attractions.

"I swear, Bea, if you just read the books, I promise you will fall in love with them," she was desperately trying to change the subject and I laughed. Me, read? Yeah right. I hadn't read a full book since about third grade. The closest thing I got to Harry Potter was the first movie, and the only thing I remembered from that was the lady that changed into a cat, which was pretty damn awesome, but I wasn't about to go read the book. She was still babbling about trolls or dogs or something when I asked, "If I was an animal…what do you think I'd be?" I wasn't actually serious, it just seemed like a good way to get her to shut up.

She stopped mid-sentence and gave me a look I couldn't place…suspicion, maybe. "Are you high?"

It was the dumbest thing I'd ever heard coming from Caroline's mouth, which is saying a lot. "What the hell are you talking about? You know I wouldn't touch the stuff even if it grew into my room!" I wasn't really sure if she was joking or not. "Where'd you get that idea from?"

"Oh I 'dunno, justsomething Rose McFarland saidtheotherday," she said this all very rapidly as if she was trying to slide it by me that she was suddenly hanging out with the Pretty People.

"Rose McFarland…you're kidding me. Since when do you hang out with that trash?"

"She's no trash!" Caroline exclaimed. "She's really nice…once you get to know her…."

"Bullshit."

"Bea…"

"Shut up and surf."

I was pretty miffed that Caroline had actually believed something Rose McFarland said about me, and leave it to Rose McFarland to somehow turn Caroline against me. That bitch. She had to terrorize me all through grade school, and it did not even end after she went ahead to high school and I didn't.

Caroline and I surfed for about ten more minutes before we decided to head home. It was about one o' clock, and I drove her home in the Duner in a silence that included everything but the roaring motor. I stopped before her house in the driveway and she climbed out. I was about to back up and get out of there when she said, "Look, Bea, I'm really sorry-

I didn't even let her finish. I snapped a, "Whatever," and gunned it out of her driveway. I actually went back to the beach after I dropped her off to try to surf off my anger. It didn't help much. As I lay in my bed that night, again, I couldn't sleep and I was left with my anger. I heard my dad come into the house very late that night thumping around with something heavy. 'Whatever,' I thought as I turned over and closed my eyes; my stomach churning, again, with nausea.

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	3. It wasn't even that scary

:-----------------:

It wasn't _that_ scary…

It had been two days, and I was getting absolutely no sleep. I wasn't exactly sure if it was that night on the ocean or my fight with Caroline anymore. I desperately tried to get some z's but nothing would give. I even went as far as heating up some milk and quickly chugging it down, so I wouldn't taste the nasty rankness. I was so freakin' tired. Bad idea, the milk soon came back up and spilling into the porcelain toilet bowl. Which is a great way to start a long night.

When I did get to sleep it was fitful. I'd wake up every five minutes recovering from the same dream weird. I had been flying, twirling around fluffy-white, cotton-candy clouds and was in mid-loop when something hit my chest and I fall. I really felt like I was falling, too, up until I jolted awake with this panicky, jittery feeling that left me all scared and shaky. Eventually, I managed to fall asleep, but was just as soon awakened by the sounds of the Brady Bunch theme song…damn second-hand alarm clock…I sat up.

"AHHHHRGGG!!!"

My door slammed open. "Bea?! What's the matter? Where's the fire?!" Of course my frenzied father is referring to the time when I "accidentally" lit fire to his hideous, favorite chair. Sadly, we lost it. I wasn't completely a pyro, okay. The thing was barf-inducing, especially the cat upchuck on one of the armrests…we didn't even own a cat. Oh, the mysteries of my father.

This time there was no fire, instead monstrous mirror that took up at least half of my wall, and was complete with a mural border placed directly in front of my bed, as if it grew there overnight. It was huge and it took up the whole wall space from the floor to the ceiling, but it wasn't completely hideous like most of the things that found their way inside my room. The border around the edges was beautiful, and the vivid colors seemed to sparkle; but it came to an abrupt stop on its right side, and the mirror seemed to be cut off halfway. Probably second-hand like everything else I owned. "Oh, heh…" my dad chuckled heartily, "What do ya think? Your 'mum told me she found it shopping yesterday, and I know we don't have room for it anywhere else so I put it in here last night while you were sleeping. You woke up a fair few times, so I was worried you wouldn't be surprised this morn'. Speakin' of tha'; Honey, are you sleeping okay?"

Ah, my father. He's always had that weird accent…something like Australian…I asked him about it once and he just half-heartedly agreed with me ("Ya, hun, 's Australeeon…) He was a young-ish man with a tuft of dusty blonde hair that grazed his shoulders, long sideburns, but besides that he had a freakish lack of any facial hair. He was a tall, gangly guy with long arms and legs. It was kind of weird how he looked sort of young enough to be my…ew. I won't even go there.

I screwed up my face into a very deliberately fake grin, "Aw dad. It's really…huge."

Apparently satisfied with this answer he replied, "Well good," and ruffled my hair before walking out of my bedroom. 'Ohhhhh gooodddd', I stared at my once shockingly pink, but now faded hair askew all over my head. My face was tan and splotchy with residual sleepiness. Now actually having something to look at myself in meant I would have to actually start checking out my appearance, which is not something I particularly like doing. I am proud to say that I was very far from a vanity fair. I stared at my hair and tried to help it lie flat a little. Eventually I gave up and resorted to ruffling it all over my head. I was gearing up to hop off my bed when I was rudely interrupted.

"JAMES!" my mother shrieked. I jumped and fell out of my bed, she was such a freakish woman. I crawled over to my drawer and pulled on faded shorts and hot pink tank top that rivaled the pink of my hair. I twisted and fought with my short hair until it remotely resembled two very spiky pink pig tails. My hair was neat like that, and it was the only thing that I thought was really especially notable about my appearance. I had my dad's long gangly body with long arms and legs. I even had his sandy blonde hair, before I dyed it pink that is. My eyes were all my own, though. Neither my dad nor my mom had the light blue catty eyes I inherited from who knows where. Now that I really had something to look at myself in, I realized that I didn't look like my mom at all. She glided on a perfectly proportioned body with long black curls framing a porcelain face set with chocolaty brown eyes. We were completely night and day. She was Vogue and I was Skaters Edge. She was a bitch, and I considered myself a perfectly tolerable person. As you can see, our relationship was…well, estranged…

In fact, I really hated my mom. Maybe I shouldn't say hate…I mean, geez, she was my mom. You can't hate someone who went through 24 hours of labor with you; at least that's what my dad had told me, even though he looked as if he had no idea what he was talking about. My mom was a volatile lady, prone to spontaneous outbreaks, and extemporaneous bouts of screaming. Thankfully, she's hardly ever around. She takes our 4x4 to work and out to shop or whatever she does with her time. I could care less. We didn't have a very good mother-daughter relationship, but the woman didn't even act like my mother 99.9% of the time. That .01% of motherly love was given to me when she rescued me from the jaws of a crocodile at age 2, but what would any other self-respecting _stranger_ have done when they witnessed a toddler running towards a razor tooth-filled mouth of doom.

From what I can remember, my dad brought me up. He taught me how to read, the best ways to cure poison oak, and where to hit a crocodile in the head so its K.O'd. You know normal dad stuff. My parents had the strangest relationship, they were always either avoiding each other, or my mom was screaming her brains out at my dad who just sat there looking helpless. I think they had this young-love gone bad thing going on. Technically, they were still young since either of them didn't look a day past twenty-eight, but that would mean…ew. I was throwing that thought far from my mind…gross, when my ears picked up (without any difficulty at all) a familiar screeching sound.

"WHY WOULD YOU BRING THIS HOME? Why would you EVER bring this TRASH into my home?" My poor dad, I could just imagine the feeble and guilty look on his face. He didn't even try to argue back anymore. I do not know why they just won't get a divorce; it would have made things a whole lot easier on _all_ of us. "I will NEVER let Bea see this drivel! It was one thing with you insisting over and over again that we see the moronic moving picture but this…this is too much and I WON'T have it!" Unlike my father's mellow and laid back slang, my mother spoke haughtily. She sounded Victorian and well brought-up.

I attempted to dash as fast as I could out the back door before my eardrums started to throb, but my efforts were thwarted when a very solid flying object hit me in the face. For the second time that morning, I ended up on the ground. My "mother" didn't seem to notice that I had been taken down by her raging fast pitch, "He is completely CRASS! Remember_ James_, it is ONLY a _story_." She put heavy emphasis on the words James and story as if they were spelled out in bold letters, but I didn't have any time to ponder the meaning why. I grabbed the object that assaulted me and ran out the door, jumped off the porch and landed in the sand below. Still running (hey, I was not taking any chances with that woman), I bolted across the sand and jumped into my rowboat after throwing the thingie in.

I started to row vigorously, and it was not until I was halfway to the small island that I was heading for, that I really looked at the heavy object that knocked me down. It was a book…a thick old book with faded golden writing on the cover. I held it close to my face in order to read the almost diminished title. _Peter Pan_…figures.

My mother had this weird complex with Peter Pan. I remember when I was about six that we went to go see that really dumb Disney cartoon. My mom didn't even want to go in the first place, but ended up going because my dad literally pleaded for weeks on end. Why it mattered that much, I wasn't sure back then. Throughout the entire movie she clenched the armrests, and sweat glistened her forehead. She really freaked me out as a kid, so I was thoroughly startled when she jumped up and stomped out of the theatre, slamming the door when the cartoon Captain Hook was (cheezily, I might add) chased away by the crocodile. Weird-o. The whole way home she rubbed her right hand shooting malicious looks at me while mumbling something under her breath. I didn't know what she was all worked up about in the first place.

Caroline told me that the book really ends with Captain Hook dying…Caroline was like a six year old genius, and was angry about how the cartoon "wrongfully portrayed the beautiful age vs. youth story that Peter Pan was, and made Wendy so damn annoying". She was a really smart kid back then. Sadly, that had to change. Thoughts of Caroline only brought back the stinging anger from the night before so I quelled the feelings before they worsened and moved on. If they had actually shown Hook dying in that movie…uhg I shudder to think of it.

Those little Peter Pan outbreaks had been few and far between, however. It was only those occasional murderous glances when somebody mentioned flying, anyone named Peter, or dust. I don't really understand the dust thing. I think she's just completely bonkers; one French fry short of a happy meal...if you get my drift.

I rowed up to a small dock set in the tiny harbor of the island. It was just a very itty-bitty island. One of those small isles that never make appearances on even the most detailed maps. Despite its remoteness there was a single inhabitant. He was a very quirky but young hermit whose only wrinkles were his clearly etched laugh lines. He was one of my only friends (including Caroline…that makes 2) and had a name as unusual as mine, Nibs Boy. Really, who names their kid Nibs? Pot-heads, that's who…

I ran down the beaten path with my new book in hand. I came to the small adobe thatched roof house, and had to stop and take it in for a second. It was like I was on one of those discovery channel shows and I was going on an expedition to meet this crocodile hunter who lived in the middle of the jungle. Nibs was really like a crocodile hunter, too. He always had a new story about his friends and him going on some crazy adventure. He told a different story every time I came over, but it was always the same group of friends; some kids named Peter, Slightly, Curly, Tootles, and the Twins. It amazed me at how much this guy packed into a single childhood.

I walked through his beaded-curtain door and saw he was by the stove cooking something that smelled extremely rank. "Hey Nibs!"

"Bea!" He greeted without turning around. By the way, to clear up some confusion that's what most people call me. It's pronounced Baya with a long 'a' NOT Beeeeeya with a long 'e'. God forbid someone to actually call be Beatriz…barf. "I'm making some stewed 'coon. Would ya like some?"

Ew. I was hungry, but not desperate; knowing way better than to trust my manners I replied, "Ah, no thanks."

He stopped stirring and turned around. He smiled and his laugh lines deepened. Back in his prime this guy probably was a stunner. He was about my dad's age and had a nice smile, shaggy brown hair, and freckles that smattered his nose and cheeks. Not to mention some weird accent that sounded a bit Australian. "What can I do for ya?"

"I just decided to stop by. My parents were having a little hissy-fight." I hardly ever mentioned my parents, but when I did Nibs always scowled.

"Parents…I hate 'em. You should run away," he said this with such a straight face, for a second I thought he was serious. I laughed, but I did it unsurely. "What do ya got there?

Remembering the book in my hands I said, "Oh, this was what my parents were arguing about," I handed him the book. "My mom has got some weird complex and she threw it at me so I just took it and ran." I really wasn't sure why I took it, really. Maybe it was my overwhelming desire to have everything that was forbidden by my mother. Nibs was turning the rickety book over, running his hands across the worn binding.

"This is a book right?" I nodded with a smile, what a kidder. "What does it say? I don't know how to read…"

I was speechless, shocked even. For a guy who was this walking encyclopedia of stories, illiteracy wouldn't ever seem to be a problem.

Slightly concerned I replied, "It's called Peter Pan." His eyes widened as he was opening the book and fanning the pages.

"What? Peter Pan…" he looked even more shocked than I was about discovering his lack of hooked-on-phonics as a child.

"Yea…it's about this kid who can fly, and he takes this girl Wendy with him to this cool place called Neverland where they fight this pirate called Captain Hook and stuff. They made a movie about it and everything" That's about as far as my Peter Pan knowledge stretched. Books weren't really my area of expertise. Why waste my time reading a dumb book when I could be out on the beach surfing or at diving practice or whatever?

"What's a movie?"

'You've gotta be shitting me', "Uhh…moving pictures…" It's what my 'rents always called them…I wasn't exactly really sure why.

He nodded with a look of blind understanding. "Peter, and…and WENDY?! I know this story!! Mind ya, it's not really a story it's very true in fact. Do ya want me to tell ya?" He seemed really enthused about it, and it's not like I had anything else to do so I said sure and he soon launched into the story. This guy had a really vivid imagination…Peter Pan real…yea right. Something picked at my mind, but I ignored it. I mean that was impossible wasn't it?

"It all started this one day when Pan came back from one of his visits to the Other World. He brought this girl with him, Wendy. She was beautiful with blonde hair and these deep blue eyes. They looked a lot like yurs…Anyway, well ya see, she was our mother…she got really excited about the mermaids…" It was almost instantly that I went numb. My vision went black and suddenly it was like I was watching a movie on my eyelids.

I saw still water reflecting blinking stars of the heavens above. These constellations, however, were very foreign to me. I leaned over the edge feeling like something was waiting for me just below the surface of the water. The reflection I saw didn't startle me one bit. I had never seen the girl that stared back at me before…but she was familiar somehow. She was younger than me, and had longer blonde hair but…she had my eyes. I studied my face in the inky water. Yes, those were the same catty blue eyes…I spied a small disturbance in the water and my eyes held the rippling for just a moment…

Mossy green hands shot of the still water and pulled me under, but this time I didn't come back up. My eyes were burning with the murky green water, and I kicked at the slimy, but strong grip that was pulling on my ankles and dress. I finally broke the surface. I gasped for air as strong hands gently laid me on the craggily piece of rock I had been perched on seconds before. I was rolled onto my side where I could feel my lungs contracting to expel the dank, salty water. I heaved it up then rolled onto my back and was startled to see a boy perched directly over my head. My heart leapt to my throat where it beat wildly. I'd never met him, but somehow this boy frazzled my nerves more than anything I had ever experienced. He was young with wild dirty-blonde hair and dazzlingly blue eyes. "I told you they would pull you in," the boy said with a cocky grin. My heart fluttered and raced, I tried to think of something to say…but the boy faded away, I came to, and found myself staring into Nibs' deep brown eyes…

"Bea…Bea," he was slightly shaking my shoulder. "How didja' know all tha'?"

"Wh-what?" Know what? What could he mean? My heart was still fluttering and I attempted to try and force it back into my chest by swallowing very deeply. The only thing I accomplished with this was choking on my own spit. I started to cough and Nibs patted my back. When in hell does this help choking victims?

"Bea you just told me all about the time Wendy and Peter visited the mermaid lagoon…only you were talking like you were there! Like you were Wendy! Actually you sounded just like her, and I was wondering how could you know all tha'…I didn't even know all tha'. It was like ya were there somehow, but tha' can't be true…"

He said the word "that" exactly, dead-on like my dad. Desperately attempting to change the subject I said, "Nibs, what part of Australia are you from, because my dad says the word 'that' exactly the same as you do and you had to have lived near each other and my dad never tells me about where he's from so I just wanted to know…." I said all this kind of fast so I thought by the puzzled look he gave, that me he didn't understand what I had said. I took a breath to repeat it, but Nibs interrupted me…

"Australia…where? Wait…" he narrowed his eyes. Right then he seemed to realize something. "Who are your parents, Bea?" It was a queer question coming from him, but I complied.

"Yea, well my parents are Morgan and James Indy. Uh…well my dad, he's kind of tall with long arms and he's got longish sandy brown hair. And my mom she's got really curly black hair and is kind of medium sized with pale skin and really brown eyes…my dad has brown eyes but they're not as dark as my mom's. They're kind of like yours…" I looked up from my babbling and realized he wasn't listening to me anymore. Nibs had a really weird and almost violent expression on his face. His eyes were out of focus and were staring at something just past my left shoulder. He was mumbling something very fast and the only words I caught were, "Slightly…damn whore…Morgan…" He said Morgan louder than the rest, like it was a curse. I was thoroughly weirded out.

"Uh…Nibs. I think…I gotta go. Yea…I hafta…fish for…dinner, now. Yea…bye." So I wasn't the greatest actress, but it would suffice. I ran out of there as fast as I could. I dived into my boat and paddled fervently away from the island. I wasn't going home…no way, anywhere but there. Some part of my intuition told me that home wasn't a very good place to hang right at the moment.

Instead I rowed to this small cove near my house. It was surrounded by all of these weeping willows and was all nature-y and Pocahontas-y. It was the coolest place to just sit and think and stare at the little fish that swam past the boat. It was a very mystical area. I expected a mermaid to just flop into my boat and start chatting it up with me. ' But Mermaids aren't friendly though. They pull my hair and get me wet. They're just jealous of me and,' the thoughts poured into my brain from seemingly nowhere…where was this coming from? I stared at the little bit of sky I could see through all the tree branches. It felt like something was taking over my mind. Whenever something like the incident at Nibs' happened and my thoughts drifted off, it was like they were no longer my thoughts. They felt like residual memories. But they weren't mine…definitely weren't mine. When had I been almost drowned by an unknown sea-creature and saved by a spunky, blonde-haired boy?

And that is how it began, the moment I thought myself to sleep in that cove of nightmares.

:----------------------------------:


	4. Frantic Gestures

:------------------------------------------------------------:

That night in the cove could have possibly been the best sleep I had ever gotten. To be honest, I really didn't even know how I ended up asleep. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, so it was kind of strange that I drifted off in the middle of all that contemplation. Anyway, I woke up in a very good mood, which was a BIG deal for me. I yawned and stretched at the bottom of the boat, not thinking about anything, and definitely not dreading the impending doom that lurked just a few hours from now. I sat up without a worry in the world, and looked around. The bottom of my stomach dropped out.

The banks of the inlet were packed with every Kauai Island species of animal I had ever seen, and even some that I hadn't. They were all staring at _me_. I peeked over the edge of the boat and even glistening pairs of eyes were watching me from there. I felt as though I had stuck my finger into a light socket because not only the hairs on the back of my neck were standing up, but every hair on my body…yea even those…

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"

Everything bounded, scurried, flied, or swam away. I was left alone with my ears ringing. I knew that scream…damn straight I knew that scream…mom? I was like a speed boat without a motor. So much adrenaline pumped its way into my veins. I was like Arnold Schwarzenegger in that Terminator movie, minus all the machine parts. Anyway, I paddled that shitty old rowboat as fast as humanly possible and arrived at my house in a record of two minutes. I jumped out of the boat and ran to my petite house. Everything seemed normal enough, but I wasn't taking any chances. I tiptoed up the stairs of my wrap-around porch and ducked under the windows peeking into every one as I crouched by. I finally came to the last window and my paranoia drained a bit. I almost stood up when I heard it.

A muffled groan and a squeak of bedsprings. I tried to hold back my gag reflexes…ew. This was just disturbing; I never thought I would ever catch my parents of all couples…

"Shhhhh," a sharp whisper drove my thoughts away.

That's not something you would hear if you walked in on your parents…yea. So I cautiously peeked in. My mom was bound and gagged to MY bed. It wasn't in some sick, perverted bondage way either, her hands and feet were bound, and she was fully clothed. I was so puzzled that I forgot what I was doing. I stood to my full height and Morgan saw me. Her eyes bulged out of her head and she started to wiggle around. The bed shook and creaked. This was thoroughly disturbing and I was about to hop back into my row boat and high tail it out of there when who but Nibs walked into my bedroom. I was so confused by then I just gave up and yelled through the screen, "What the hell?" He fiercely spun around and looked at me with wild eyes. His expression softened when he saw it was me, and he walked over to the window with a smile on his face.

He lifted the screen and said to me, "Well golly, just the person I was waitin' fur." He beckoned for me to hop through the window.

I scrambled through the opening, ignoring the hopping business and stood, hands crossed with an 'I demand an explanation for this scene' look on my face. My mother was wilder than ever. I could hear muffled squeals coming from her gag. "Lovely day outside," sighed Nibs near the window as if it were normal to have my mother bound and gagged on my bed.

"NIBS!"

"Wot?" The confused face was getting old fast.

"What is THIS?" I gestured frantically at my frenetic mother.

"Ah, love. This is something tha' should have been done a long time ago."

Despite myself, I laughed, "No shit." My mother shot a look of rage in my direction. "But really, Nibs. What is the meaning of this? Why are you here? Why is my mom bound and gagged on my bed? How did you even get here? Where is my dad?" I could hear myself speaking rapidly and I saw Nibs getting the confused look again when…

"Over here, Bea." I spun around. There was my dad looking thoroughly stressed out and more helpless than I had ever seen him. "I need to explain something…"

"Dem right ya do!" Nibs interjected. "Can't believe you haven't told her at all you twat!" My dad's head hung lower than ever.

"Nibs, I thought about it I did. But she…," he nodded in my mother's direction. "You know…"

I looked at Nibs, he nodded somberly.

"Wait, you two know each other?" Now it was my turn to wear the clueless mask.

My dad opened his mouth to speak but Nibs beat him to it, "Long story short, love, me and Slightly here grew up together, and now we have a matter of business to talk to you abou'."

"Slightly, is that a nickname or something? His name's James, Nibs." What the…excuse my French, but this was highly disturbing…fuck kind of name is Slightly? He grinned at me, and I wanted to punch him.

"Or so you think, love." He seemed very pleased with himself. "James happens to be the name of her demmed father. And to straighten one thing out, Slightly is _not_ your father."

He said this very casually, but it struck me like a hammer to a nail. I grew dizzy and lightheaded. I wanted to say so many rude things like "What the fuck?" or maybe a more refined "Nibs you have gone mad," but all I could get out was a shocked huff. For the first time ever I didn't feel like talking, I was in danger of spewing up whatever was left in my stomach from the day before yesterdays meals. Nibs only laughed, "You see, love, na' this might be a tad shocking, but _all_ four of us are not originally from here," my head swam, "We're from a place close by…but…far away."

'What is he talking about? I, Beatriz Indy, have always had a life here in Kauai. I had just finally graduated from Aire Junior High and in the fall I will soon be attending Willow High where I will ,no doubt, be pushed around by the mean girls giggling about their hair straighteners or whatever.' At this point I actually wanted that. Taking harassment from the A-crowd seemed like heaven compared to what I was experiencing now. I wonder what Caroline would have thought of this…Caroline. She was the last shred of my life I held onto before reality as I knew it was shattered with a simple sentence…

"We're from Neverland, love." All it took was three words and I was out like a light, and I had never passed out before in my entire life. I woke up a few minutes later on the floor of my bedroom with Nibs and my dad standing over me. I could feel the tears in my eyes and I looked at my dad. He just gave me a helpless look. That's it, I sobbed. I hardly ever cried in front of people, but I'm sure everyone could hear my gut-wrenching cries.

"Oh don't cry," Nibs tried to comfort me, but anything he said at this point just made me sob harder. "It's a lot better than this place. The air was sweet an' the water clean. You're lucky that you get to go back…" GO BACK? What the hell was he going on about now? I didn't want to go anywhere, much less somewhere that didn't even exist! I was staying here in Kauai and I was going to be the biggest nerd at Willow and Caroline was going to help me do my math homework and…

My bed gave a hard thud, and I laboriously stood up. My mother was livid, or was she really my mother? Nibs just giggled a little and walked over to her. He ripped off her gag.

"AHHHHH, NIBS YOU FOUL CREATURE! I ALWAYS KNEW YOU WERE AS DENSE AS YOU LOOKED!" She glanced at me and her blotchy red anger faded just and was replaced by a sneer. She laughed at me and seemed to have read my thoughts, "And you…HAHAHA…you're damn right I'm not your mother!" She was about to say more but madness took her and peals of laughter erupted from her mouth instead.

Nibs scowled, "Maybe I shouldnta ungagged her," he yelled over the squeals. He walked closer to me and somewhat embraced me. I just stood there stiff legged, arms glued to my sides. He whispered in my ear, "This lady is a terrible woman named Morgan. She's from Neverland too. She's not like me and Slightly, though. She's just some evil, kniving slut that ran off with your dad…" The laughter was gone.

"I AM NOT A SLUT! Slightly here is just as _thick_ as you are. He came along and followed me all the way back here, just like all of you did. Tootles and the Twins were easier than you two, though. They went quietly. Curly, well let's just say he was taken care of as well. But you two were special. I was always sort of fond of you Slightly and Nibs, I just knew you would follow Slightly anywhere," she smiled maliciously. "And you all eventually drifted away from Neverland. Oh, but what of Peter, now?" She voiced facetious concern. "Well let's say, he'll slowly drift away too. You all know what loneliness will do to a person." Her grin widened and she resumed her cackling laughter. I turned back to my da-Slightly and Nibs. They were both livid.

"YOU BITCH," Nibs screamed.

"Oh yes, and everything was going great until we found her (she glared at me) on our way out that godless isle. 'Oh, please Morgan we can't just leave her', 'Morgan she can be our baby'. You were a lovesick fool Slightly!" More laughter, "And child who knows where you came from, as far as I'm concerned you're a worthless little brat who…"

My fath-Slightly was shaking with ferocity, "You evil bitch, you're father deserved everything he got." The words were whispered but all of us heard every word. Silence.

A strange voice issued from the mouth of Morgan, "Oh he did, did he? You all will deserve what you're about to get, as well." I looked at her. What I saw was very frightening. Her hair was all askew all over my bedpost but her eyes were glowing…red; not just any normal red though, like blood freshly poured from a gaping wound. I stood with my mouth hanging wide open and Slightly grabbed me from behind and carried me to the hall. He ran me down the stairs of our porch and dropped me in the sand. I quickly scrambled to my feet.

"Get out of here Bea," he fumbled with something in his jean pocket and pulled out a small, brown tweed pouch. "Take this and row far out, sprinkle it all over yourself, and think happy things. Remember, second star to the right and head in that direction." There was a loud crash from my bedroom, there goes my new mirror.

"Hurry! Quickly now!" Slightly grabbed me again and threw me into my boat. He waded out until the water bobbed at his chest and pushed me off. I began to paddle, but tears began to pour out of my eyes for the second time that night. My vision was blurry and watery but I could still see Slightly's form on the beach. He waved, and ran back into the house. That was the last I would ever see of the man I called my father.

I rowed and rowed until my house was a tiny white square no bigger than the tip of my index finger, and water surrounded me on all sides. I wailed and wept. Finally, I calmed down enough to remember the small tweed bag. I hastily picked it up and dumped the contents onto my palm. DUST? I was so angry I could have torn my hair out. The last thing my father will ever give me is gray, clumpy DUST? In a rage I threw it over the side of the boat, but a gentle breeze picked it up and threw it back at me and into my eyes. I screamed and dug my hands into my eyes, crying again. I blinked the dust away, but I did not stop crying. Throwing myself to the bottom of the boat, I sobbed until deep sleep overcame me.

………..........


	5. Welcome To Paradise

Suggested soundtrack for this chapter…_Welcome to the Jungle_ by Guns N' Roses and _Welcome to Paradise_ by Green Day.

_…………............._

_Laughter chimed from everywhere and the wind seemed to flow with it as I looked to a sapphire sky. I realized the laughter was my own. Something was circling above me bearing no resemblance to any natural thing that should be in the sky, yet I felt no dread. I laughed again and sank into the vibrant green, knee-high grasses, hiding myself. Giggling, I watched the heavens. I wasn't sure why I was breathless, my heart was thudding wildly against my ribs. I heard a rooster's crow and my stomach whipped into a back flip. I was insanely happy._

_But then I remembered. My mood fell quickly into that of melancholy. It won't be like this forever, I know, I must flee soon. I had felt something rising in me, something dangerous, and I could abide no longer. My heart resumed its normal tempo as I felt the corners of my mouth droop._

_ WHOOOSH_

_ Suddenly I was flying, held by strong arms around my waist, attached to a body directly behind me. My heart picked up its dance once again. I grinned as I looked down at the appendages that entwined me. They were tan and somewhat scrawny, but I knew the immeasurable power they held. A soft chin rested on my shoulder. "You can't hide from me. I'm far too clever for that!" His breath tickled my ear, but I felt it all the way down to my toes. Though the ground was rapidly falling away beneath me, I felt no fear. I knew I was safe and secure in the arms of this boy, nevertheless someday soon I must make a flight of my own…_

My eyes slowly opened and I could feel myself smiling. I still felt my body suspended in air, my back pressed against the body of that mysterious boy. It had been a good dream, and it had been so real. The sky was an Aquarius blue, and the brightness of it was bedazzling. I blinked and rubbed the blindness from my eyes as I sat up.

"What the hell?" I was in my boat, but my boat was most definitely NOT in the water. I looked all around at the fluffy whiteness that had replaced the sea-green of the ocean. The sun was blazing and I felt my body wet with sweat, whether this was from the sun or my dream I would never know. "OH MY GOD!" I panicked and the boat gave a horrible lurch, so did my stomach. I grabbed the edges, but it was just as effective as holding onto an anvil in the ocean. The boat plummeted.

I cleared the clouds and heard the whistling of the air rushing past me. Without further ado my small rowboat pitched over and I was looking down at the earth below me. "HOLYYYY FUUUUCCCKK….." The green island below me twinkled mischievously. I let go of the boat and I went into a free fall, the moisture on my body quickly evaporating. Ok I calmed a little bit, but just a little bit. This was just like diving…only off a thirteen thousand story springboard. 'Oh my God! Am I going to die?' My thoughts were morbid, and so was the seemingly innocent water lurking far below. The sea was getting closer and closer. I positioned myself into somewhat of a diving position, hands first feet last, with my head tucked in. All I could do now was pray…

………………SPLASH…………..

I felt my body enter the marine with and my hands tingled from the sting of the impact. Quickly, I somersaulted, and resurfaced, breathless. It was like being reborn, and I took my first breath of oxygen. This ordeal took quite a bit to set in, "OH YEA, BABY! Perfect freaking 10!" I cackled, but not in a look-at-me-my-name-is-Morgan-and-I'm-an-evil-genius sort of way. My diving coach Mrs. Phearson would be proud, wait…who was I kidding? She would have been jealous! My moment of triumph was quickly cut short. About ten feet away I spied something mossy pop out of the water. I didn't need the smirk sent my way to know that I needed to get the heck out of there.

"Oh hell no!" The head disappeared. Damn mermaids! The shore was about thirty feet away. I could see the palm trees beckoning. So close, yet so far away! I kicked it into gear with the best freestyle I could manage. Swimming like that was definitely NOT my forte. Oh, I could swim well enough, sure, but swimming fast, well that's where I fell short. Give me diving any day, or a surfboard and I kick ass.

Barely ten feet later and I was already huffing and puffing. Twenty feet, twenty measly feet. 'Come on! I dive off stuff higher than that. Of course it only takes me about five seconds to reach my destination, but whatever…11…10…8…come on!' I could see the waves cresting, just a bit farther. If only I had my board…Too late…SPLASH! Low and behold a very green boy with flaming red hair was grinning right in front of me, so…I dunked him. All right, stupid idea dunking a mermaid, but I trusted my intuition. I began my race to shore once again, but not soon enough. A slimy hand grabbed my ankle and I was pulled under.

On reflex I opened my eyes which is something you definitely don't want to do in the ocean, but my eyes were fine! There was no burn whatsoever. It was seriously a Kate Bosworth moment from Blue Crush; except there was a greenish boy resembling a Christmas decoration gone wrong floating in front of me. For a second I forgot I was underwater and I tried to scream, but you know breathing in water isn't the most intelligent thing to do when you're under mermaid attack. It could have been worse, though. The water I sucked in was completely fresh. No salt. And at least the mermaid…or should I say merman had the common decency to pull me to shore before he was going to do whatever he pleased with me.

I sputtered out water and opened my eyes to a very chipper mer-boy. He opened his mouth, I guess to say something, but what came out was an almost cat-like purring sound, "Purre menone aserrebe merr."

All I could do was feebly squeak, "English?"

The green, freckled boy smiled and laughed a little bit. His shaggy red hair danced as if it was still underwater. "Sorry, I kind of forgot myself for a second there," his voice was pubescent, almost squeaky. Mermaid puberty? "My name's Micah." Uhh…

"And…what do you want?" I said as calmly as I could considering the moment.

He was sort of glazed over. "Oh, that, um I saw you fall out of the sky and wanted to know if you were okay. I mean you don't see pretty pixie's fall out of the sky everyday, do you? I thought you could have been hurt and I wanted to check it out. I mean, it looked like a knarley fall and all. That was so high and everything…" He was babbling…Pixie?

"Wait, kid…Micah, hold on a sec. Pixie?"

"Well yea I figured…" he was staring at my shockingly pink and very wet hair. Hm…maybe this was a good thing, blending in with my surroundings like a chameleon reptilian thing.

"Oh yea, that's me…a pixie!" Damn my shitty acting skills!

"So what were you doing flying over the ocean, and what was with the falling?"

"Oh well that…see I was flying and my wings…they just sort of fell off," I faked a look of bewilderment. He looked slightly confused and his hair gave another flick without the wind.

"Pixie's don't have wings…"

They didn't?! Since when? What kind of a freaky fairy tale joke was this? Somehow I kept my cool. "Oh…heh. That's just a little pixie joke. To tell the truth I was looking for my… bracelet that fell off earlier it was the last place I haven't searched," I hoped they accessorized here.

"Oh okay," he was grinning again. What a happy little mer-man, so chipper, so annoying. "I could help you out with that-

"That'd be great but now I have to leave you and go help my pixie family…water…the garden. Cya!" I kept the air of ditzy…I so deserved an Emmy or a Grammy, or whatever…well at least he bought it.

"Okay bye, if I see your bracelet I'll letcha know!"

"Okay sure." And without a backwards glance, I ran into the green forest.

……………….......................

A small ray of sunshine crept its way through the wispy tendrils of the weeping willow and into a very gigantic knothole. The ray whisked its way to a slumbering figure and tapped him on the nose. The loud snoring that usually had filled the knothole abruptly stopped and a pair of vibrant blue eyes snapped open. The figure bounded out of bed to the window. He stuck his head out and let loose a resounding crow.

But nothing happened. There was no ringing laughter, no bounding footsteps up the tree to meet him. There was only a familiar ball of light zooming its way toward the willow. The light sped into the room and started to chime very rapidly but the rooster ignored it.

"Tink…I guess…they really are gone…" It was the same as every other morning. He had the same far off look and he gave the light the same blank stare before he turned around and sank into his bed once more. The light sighed. Mind you, lights don't normally sigh, but upon closer inspection this light was actually a small woman; clad in her own small leaf outfit with wild blonde hair and an out of place forlorn expression. This was Tinkerbelle, the fairy-light. At the moment she glowed blue. The same routine had played on for a very long number of years. Tinkerbell cried one sparkling tear, the same as every other morning. Her Peter, her ageless Peter Pan was in fact growing older.

It had all started when one by one the Lost Boys left. Without any word at all, not even a simple good-bye they all vanished. 'Oh the ignorance of them!' thought Tink glowing red. But with a small glance at the sulking form of Peter she became blue again. They left and it was a very number of nights that no one came for supper that Peter realized that there was never going to be a pretend dinner ever again. Peter was heart broken.

First Wendy, and now this? It was too much for a young boy to take. He was all alone in the world. Tinkerbelle couldn't even begin to imagine the pain he felt in his heart, his heart was almost as big as she was. The loneliness was so unbearable and it began to give him actual physical pain. This was far beyond any ache that a child could bear. Tinkerbelle remembered the nights she flew around his head as he moaned. The sound was so unearthly. She cried for there was nothing more she could do, she was too small. So Peter grew, and my did he grow. His limbs became longer, shoulders broader, muscles stronger, voice deeper, and understanding…well the loneliness didn't hurt quite as much anymore. It became a rare occurrence when Peter left the perimeter of his willow tree.

There was nothing left to look foreword to anymore; no one to laugh with or play with. Tinkerbelle needed to find something to keep Peter young…and fast or he was doomed. Possibly the island was doomed. Who knows how important he was to everyone's well-being. But hadn't she seen something coming over the horizon just this morning? Oh yes she had! What was it now…a boat? Yes a small boat floating on the clouds! The fairy went mad with joy, glowing bright yellow. She zoomed to Peter's ear and started to jingle.

Peter sat straight up. BANG! He crunched his head on the low, knotted ceiling, "OW!" But this was no time to deal with petty things like pain!

"A boat, you say Tink?" She jingled violently. "A flying boat?!" He exclaimed with happy disbelief. "Smells like pirate business…" He jumped out of bed and rummaged around the small room. Finally, finding a small sheathed dagger in a duster corner, he strung it around his waist. "Let's go Tink." And without even putting on a shirt he leapt out of the knothole, flew south, and gave a laugh that seemed to make the island burst to life.

…………….....................


	6. Cleanliness

CLEANLINESS

I trudged through the shrubbery, which wasn't exactly the easiest thing to do considering I was barefoot. Hey, when you live on a sandy beach your whole life, shoes are not usually the first thing on your mind; especially in the last few days, I was definitely not bent on the latest bran' spankin' new in season flip-flops. Who needs shoes anyway? The island was very soft and spongy. It was like a giant botanical zoo. Even from my brief aerial glimpse of the isle it was just a big sparkly glob of green. No flowers; just grass, moss, leaves, and other green vegetation. Besides the freaky lack of blooms, there wasn't any sound either. It wasn't an eerie horror film silence, but a peaceful sleepy one. 'This isn't so bad,' I thought. 'It's very…clean-

**Squish**

I regretted my words. What a weird sensation to be suddenly ankle deep in an oozy Technicolor blue liquid. I was brought back to a time when my da-I mean, Slightly thought it would be funny to dump home-made Nickelodeon like slime on my head after seeing it on 'Figure It Out'. Too bad I was allergic to avocados. Not so fun. I felt a twinge of loss…my dad.

"Kiiii-kiii-ri-KIIIII!"

Why was it that every time I was seriously thinking about something I was oh-so-rudely interrupted? Whether it was extreme bouts of exhaustion, loud screams, or the prying eyes of forest creatures…This time it was a very loud echoing crow. The crow was impossibly earsplitting, and the sound of it seemed to wind its way around me twice before it slowly died away. I pictured a giant rooster foaming at a large, sharp beak quickly running (or whatever it is roosters do) through the jungle heading exactly in my direction. If I had actually stopped to think about my giant rooster theory I probably would have laughed. But instead I did the same old-same old: I panicked, I screamed, and I ran. Or at least I tried to run. My efforts earned me a mouthful of the very rank tasting blue goo. I somehow rolled out of the stuff and bolted leaving a sticky trail of the mess behind me. Five minutes I ran until I reached the outcropping of a small hill. I bent over catching my breath and trying to relieve the stitch in my side. The land ended suddenly and a dusty hill led to the brush below. It wasn't a very big drop, but I could imagine not a very comfortable tor to fall down.

I about-faced and peered down the trail I came from. I stood up hands on my head, breathing deeply, and sweating; not to mention still dripping the sticky blue muck, when the forest suddenly burst into life. When I mean burst I mean BOOM! Right before my eyes every flower and bloom opened up all at once. Having never seen plants move this rapidly before I was a little shocked…okay more than shocked I was scared out of my pants! I stumbled backwards, but there abruptly wasn't any more land to stumble on. I rolled…that sounds to comfortable: I bumped my way down the hill and crashed through the brush when the land finally leveled off.

I laid still for a few minutes, still feeling the pain of every rock hitting me on my way down. Slowly, I got to my feet groaning. My whole body hurt, I was filthy, but luckily nothing was broken, well as far as I could tell. Great time for the forest to spring alive, and my was it ever alive. No longer silent the land around me was ringing with the chattering of birds. Well, at least I thought it was birds. These bird calls were unfamiliar to me. The sound that caught the immediate attention of my ears, though, was the sound of running water. I immediately registered my extremely dry mouth. I hadn't noticed how parched I was in the past half an hour that I'd arrived on this horrible island. Starving and dehydrated I was driven to madness and nothing would stop me from getting to that water. It seemed to be coming from my left. I turned and began to walk but quickly stopped. A bush filled with large menacing yellow thorns was separating me from H20 bliss.

Heck, no. This was it; I was not taking any more crap from this island. Scanning the vicinity, I found there was a large tree hanging over the thorns. It was slightly embedded in the bush, but what was a few pricks for a drink of water? Little did I know I would soon find out, but these pricks weren't of the bush variety. Soon, I was scrambling up, which was not my area of expertise. I reached a thick branch that led out over the thorns and held onto the brown bark for dear life. I clung to the limb and scooted my way over the thorns. The bush was bigger than I thought and it took a while to clear it, but much to my dismay the limb ended before the thorns did. Luckily, so did the land that the thorns were on just a few feet beyond that of the thorns. About thirty feet below me there shined and sparkled a large, clear lake. Without thinking I stood up and bounced on the branch. It was a lot different than flat springboards, but it would work. My fear of falling was instantly replaced with my need of water and cleanliness. I bounced one more time and then threw myself over the thorny ledge.

The wind whistled in my ears again that day, but this time it was a lot more enjoyable. I splashed into the water and did a quick somersault, I didn't want to hit my head on the bottom, but the lagoon was a lot deeper than I first thought. I took in my surroundings. The lake was set into a little niche between the forest and a gigantic, rocky cliff. The running water I heard was the sound of a small waterfall trickling its way down the cliff's face. I submerged again. Should I drink it? It seemed clear enough…this place was rather unsoiled…well…what the hell? I took a deep gulp. It was wonderful, purer than even the most expensive bottle of Evian.

I opened my eyes and swam around a little before coming up again. I paddled to the shore and looked around for prying eyes. I was no stranger to skinny dipping, but not in front of other people. God no! Seeing and hearing nothing but the trickle of water and the cackle of birds, I peeled off my clothing and set them on the bank to dry. I swam around a bit, doing some flips and getting all of the grime out of my hair before I settled for floating around. It would have been peaceful, too, if not for the flip of water a few feet away from me.

I scrambled to the shore and hid behind the nearest bush. I had a feeling I knew what this was…"MICAH!!"

A fiery green head popped up. His face was a tye-dye of pink and moss. "Ah, um…see…I came looking for you because I didn't catch your name before and I think I found your bracelet-

"BEA! My name's Bea!!" I screamed. He was looking very panicked, and I was looking…well…very naked.

"Bea…I'm sorry," his blush deepened. "I swear I didn't see anything-

"Anything he didn't like!"

I spun around and two small boys with pointy ears and hair as green as fresh spring grass were pointing at me and laughing hysterically. I tried to shove myself further into the bush when one of them giggled and said, "Momma always said Pixie's were easy!"

………..............

My heart was soaring, I hadn't felt like this for a long time. I was flying again, and on the search for pirates. My sword thumped against my side. Oh, was there ever going to be a bloodbath today…I smiled as the island blurred by below me.

**Splash.**** Laughter.**

I skidded to a stop in midair and almost fell into the treetops grazing my toes. I knew that laugh. I searched around me for the location of the sound, and my eyes settled on a lagoon not far from where I was floating. I flew fast and landed quietly on a high branch above the water. Stealthily, I crawled to the end of it, and remained hidden behind the green foliage. Below me a girl resurfaced. First I saw a shock of pink hair…damn pixies. They're always frolicking about, being stupid. I almost left, but then I saw her eyes. It only took a glance and I knew who I was looking at. 'Wendy?' But how? And with pink hair? Her eyes crinkled into a smile and I knew…I didn't know how…but I knew it was her.

I floated off the branch and almost bolted down to the water to her, when she floated to the edge and looked sheepishly around. I paused for a moment when she began to peel off her clothes. I could feel myself redden. Don't get me wrong, I had seen a naked girl before. The pixie's are always giggly, naked, and teasing, but this girl obviously did not want to be seen. In spite of myself, I felt a new longing and sat myself down on the branch again. She floated around below me and I studied her, but I found I became interested in other things besides her face. She was tan with long limbs, but she curved in all the right places. I longed to touch her, to thimble her…and other things besides…

The girl turned sharply to stare at something and my studies were interrupted as she scrambled onshore. I caught the briefest glimpse of her again before she hid herself behind a bush opposite me. "MICAH!" she screamed. Despite the harshness of her exclaim her voice lulled me into a stupor. Yup, definitely Wendy…I spied a very green boy with red hair pop out of the water…curious. A male Undine…, "Ah, um…see…I came looking for you because I didn't catch your name before and I think I found your bracelet-

"BEA! My name's Bea!!"

Bea? Who was Bea? This wasn't Wendy…she was an imposter. My heart sank into my stomach and sizzled. I was so sure…but her eyes. I felt rejected for no reason and soon I was making up excuses as to why Wendy went away in the first place. I thought, 'Besides even if she did come back, Wendy wouldn't want me anymore'…I looked down at myself in disgust. My body had grown longer and broader. I was a man now.

Through the time I was in my willow, I could feel it. The crushing weight and pain that had plagued me for a long time after the boys left lessened. I began to have a different sort of hurt. While I was in my willow my legs ached and my arms cramped, apparently something called growing pains. I sat on the branch and let my legs dangle below me. My hair had even grown somewhat darker…maybe that's why Wendy hadn't come back. She knew I was a man somehow and couldn't bear the sight of me anymore.

Deep down, I knew this was a stupid thought, but it didn't stop the white hot anger that seared through my body. I lifted off the branch and soared into the sky once again, when I was greeted by a bouncing ball of light. She jingled at me…

"Yea, sorry Tink. I was heading toward the sea…I guess I got sidetracked." My anger flared. "Tink I'm just going to go back to the…" She flew into my face and rang violently. "Ok maybe not! Wait…a city? A city of PIRATES!" My anger died and was replaced by a growing excitement. "Lead the way, Tinkerbelle!"

…….........

"She ain't a pixie, you dolt!" The boys giggled again. I raged and turned a pink that I'm sure rivaled my hair.

"How do ya figure, Kehlo?"

"Well…" he made a motion over his chest. I fumed and my hands flew over my exposed appendages. They just laughed all the more. One of them was actually on the ground at this point. "Pixie's don't have much of those, Snatch."

My anger snapped, "WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT DO YOU WANT?!"

"Hold on there little miss! I'm Khelo," he bowed mockingly. "My brother Snatch and I were just frolicking around the forest like the good little elves we are, when we happened upon you, and your lack of…modestly, should I say…" Snatch was hysterical now taking deep breaths between his racking laughter.

"Khelo…and Snatch…" I couldn't help a smirk of my own.

"Bea…" I heard Micah's pleading tone. "But I thought you told me you were a pixie…"

I turned around. "Micah…I am not a pixie," I said sharply. "I am just a girl with pink hair who fell out of the sky and is now having one of the shittiest days of my life!" The elves gasped and giggled at my colorful language. Fuming, I tore out of the bush, not caring who looked at my very bare body. I pulled on my soggy clothing and turned to the elves. "So now that I know there are animals around here, take me to your leader." The joke was wasted, and the elves gave me an odd look.

"What are you talking about? You're from the ciudad…aren't you?" This Khelo character was obviously the leader, as Snatch just seemed to stand there and nod like a dashboard doggy at whatever Khelo said. My clueless look must have answered his question and he smirked at me. "Where have you been? Must be new, this one. The ciudad is-

Snatch grabbed his arm, and everything went silent, even the birds, and surprisingly so was Micah. They looked at each other, turned, and ran off through the woods. No! I was just getting some information about this blasted place! "Wait, come back." I screamed.

"BEA!" Micah hissed behind me and I turned around. His face was a pale green and his look of panic was one that quieted even me. His eyes were wide and he said in a whisper, "Run!" Then he ducked below the surface. Why was everyone so cryptic around here! His behavior didn't scare me at all; it just made me even more annoyed with the mer-boy. 'Well you know what little merman I think I will just take my sweet time in getting wherever I want to go, thank you very much,' I thought while turning around.

I chocked on my own spit, and my heart burst into race of panic beats. A very ragged, hairy, crazy-eyed old man was standing directly in front of me. He took one look at me, tipped back his head, and cackled.

…………………..........................

Ten points to whoever remembers what Figure It Out is!! Have a great and golden rest of the day, and thanks for stopping at Karma Chameleon! P.S Thanks boogalaga and Dreamless-Mermaid.

-Gwen


	7. Falling into El Ciudad

……………….........................

            The man was ancient. He was outrageously skinny with brown leathery skin, but Jesus! was he hairy. His black and gray afro-hair seemed to overwhelm his entire head. His eyes barely peeked from under the squirrel's nest. His appearance was really not a frightening one, but what caused me to jump back was his laugh. I just never expected a man of his stature to make a sound quite like that one without loosing an ear or something. I readied myself to run for my life, but his wrinkled hand shot out from nowhere and held my arm with a vice-like grip. Not your typical old-timer.

            "Oh, no miss," his voice was scratchy, but steady for an antique. "Somebody wants a word with ya'. Someone that's been watin' a very long time."

            The trek through the jungle was colorful but not very eventful. However, it did give me a chance to think. So far I had established that I was hungry, I was confused, and that my feet were burning like hell. There were all sorts of twigs and roots on the narrow path we were walking on, and I seemed to be stepping on every sharp little edge. I looked behind us and grimaced when I saw little drops of blood dotting the ground. I slowed a bit, but apparently the man was in a hurry. My efforts granted me a sharp tug on the arm, and I stumbled through a pile of bramble. More pain shot up through my leg. "Fuck!" The man looked back at me with a stern expression. "Sorry," I added, though I wasn't really sorry at all.

Every step I took, the pain was becoming more unbearable. I almost wanted to cut my own feet off. 'Think of something else. Yea…that's it.' I thought, 'Deaden the pain. Hm…shoes…'

            That's what I needed… some shoes. A memory came to mind, and I smiled inwardly a bit. Once I made a pair of flip-flop sandals completely out of duck tape and my dad went crazy! He made a pair of his own and we wore them everywhere together for a month before they finally fell apart. Caroline always thought I was crazy…

            The memory was funny for about a second, then I realized where I was and the pain only worsened. I couldn't tell, though, if it was the pain in my feet that was killing me or something entirely different. We came upon a small stream and began to wade across, but my efforts were marred. I hadn't been watching where I stepped. I slipped on some bright yellow algae and landed with a crunch onto my side. The sharp rocks dug into me and cut my arm. I didn't have any time to brace myself and my unprotected head bounced off a large stepping stone. Deliriously, I looked up. There was my father, "Get out of here Bea!" He shouted with his brow furrowed. His eyes glistened and something that looked suspiciously like a tear glided it's way down his cheek, dribbling off the end of his long nose. Suddenly, Nibs appeared next to him, shaking with joy.

            "At least ya get to go back…" The freckles next to his eyes crinkled as he grinned. I looked up into his happy face and a fiery anger shot it's way through my body. My eyes started to burn as I reached my hands up. I wanted to wipe that grin off of his face…permanently.

            A loud SMACK brought me back to the present and my eyes were no longer burning, but my cheek was. I blinked and opened my eyes to the blurred image of a very concerned old man. He was hovering over me, just as my father and Nibs had done just seconds before. His wrinkles deepened as he examined my face with apprehension. "Tis' worse than I thought," he muttered while looking into my eyes. The world before me dimmed again, but the man shook me before it completely faded out. Without a word he put his leathery arms under my own and tried to pick me up, but I crumbled. Water splashed all around me as my vision went black

_The air smelled of salt and the gull's coos rode their way on the wind. Clip-Clop, Clip-Clop. My boots clicked as I made my way to the deck railing. The sight of the floor below me made me scowl with delight. Hoards upon hoards of dirty, smelly men were ambling around, working odd jobs here and there, and some weren't doing anything at all. Somehow the sight made me swell with pride. Soon this would be mine…_

_            Clip-Clop, Clip-Clop. The footsteps stopped next to me. A breeze ruffled my short black hair into my eyes and the sounds of 'Yo ho, Yo ho, a pirates life for me!' wafted past my ears. "Detestable song." I looked up to my left. A tall broad shouldered man with long, perfectly ringletted hair was also scowling at the deck below. "Brainless gits, the lot of them." His voice was slippery like ice, but his eyes, they were ice…most of the time. "Yes, someday this…prize will be yours," he said most distastefully. _

_            I returned my gaze to the gritty men and an arm rested on my shoulder. I felt cold steel near my collarbone. An iota of resentment worked it's way into my thoughts. He didn't know what he had. He never would, until it was mine. His arm left my shoulders, but my chin was caught by a sharp point. "I'm sure you have better things to do." The icy eyes bored their way into mine. "Go back to your studies, and help that blundering sister of yours."_

_            Highly annoyed, I stalked down the stairs to the cabin and slammed the door behind me. A black curly head popped up from its hunched position at a desk ten feet in front of me. "Oh Jack! You'll never believe it!" A little voice squeaked. "I've found it! Or at least I think I have! Peter Pan's-_

_"Shut up Morgan." My voice was sharp and cold.  I loathed that name. My life had always been filled with Peter Pan. Even my studies, or lack there of, were centered on that flighty character. What is the best way to kill Pan? Where is Pan's hideout? Why does Pan fly? I was sick of the bloody bird. That was it. I had to end it. My father would no longer thrust his obsession onto my sister and I._

_Fuming, I kicked a stool into the desk and it fell backwards with a loud thump. My sister whimpered as an inkwell crashed, staining the floorboards black. I spun around and faced a wall sized mirror. My boots were tall and black, with brown breeches tucked into the tops of them. My thin white shirt was flowing and somewhat feminine. I looked into my own eyes…they were scarlet._

A stifling and foul smell woke me from my slumber. The room around me looked blurry and out of focus so I attempted to sit up. I ,immediately, regretted my decision. My head was hammered with pain, and I heard myself whimper. The sound was somewhat familiar, yet I couldn't think at the moment. Thinking was far too painful. "Ah, that might not be the smartest thing to do right now, Bea. You've been bedridden for nearly two days," a scratchy voice cooed from beside me.

            Two days?! Slightly raving, I responded, "Dad?"  

            A hearty chuckle emanated from my side. "Oh, Bea, I have been called many things, but that particular name will never be one, I'm afraid." Of course it hadn't been my father. The voice was too old-sounding. Where was I? My mind flitted back to the dream I had just had. The stench of the ambling men lingered in my nose, and I was suddenly fearful. I turned my head to the left and my vision cleared. There was the old-timer, sitting in a very battered rocking chair. His eyes settled cheerfully on me.

            "You're not a….a….pirate, are you?" I stuttered. I was delirious, but even I could tell how stupid the words sounded coming from my mouth. Pirates? What was this, some Johnny Depp movie?

            The man's eyes darkened and with a steady voice he said, "I would never stoop to such a dishonorable position." He must have noticed my look of relief. "Fear not m'lady. Pirates have not been seen in these parts for many a year, and I am more than a match for old Hook and his dogs!" He drew himself up proudly, puffing out his chest. I had to laugh a little bit. What an absurd little man, even he chuckled some more. "Ah, you might not think so, but I had to carry you all the way back here! And you are not the smallest package to bear!" Insults! My look of distain made him grin a little more as he stood up. Slowly, I followed suit and my head did not hurt as much. "Sit back down there, Bea. You've had a rough few days." I sat back down on the lumpy, straw mattress. The man walked over to a steaming cauldron set into the stony wall. Apparently, I was in a cave of sorts. He walked back over to me with a steaming earthenware bowl.

            "What is it?"

            "Aye, if I told you, you probably wouldn't touch it! You need your strength young lady." I looked down into the bubbling liquid. It was bright green and smelled suspiciously like something Nibs would cook. Ah, well. Soup's on. After all, I hadn't eaten for about two days. This would at least cure the racking hunger-pains in my stomach. I took the thick bowl, surprisingly cool to the touch, and sipped from it. It tasted like bananas. Banana soup? Where the heck was I….the soup had managed to clear my muddled mind. I stopped slurping for a moment.

            "Sir, um…whoareyou, whereamI, and howdoyouknowmyname?" I spoke rapidly, even for me. The man only chortled.

            "You're quite quick of the tongue, young one." He sighed. "I suppose you deserve some answers, but alas I am not able to give you all of those you ask." Before I could press further, he held up a hand and stopped me. "In time…in time." Again, he sighed. "I'm just an old man trapped on an island of the juvenile. You may call me Lee. At the moment, you reside in my dwelling. A little cave set high enough as to be away from danger, but close enough to the important places. As for my knowledge of your name, I might be old, Bea, but I'm very far from being deaf and dumb. Your young water-dwelling friend has quite a loud, squeaky tone." My fondness for the mer-boy lowered even further.

            "Oh well, that answers it all!" I said curtly. I was rapidly loosing my patience, and that didn't happen very often. I was an amazingly patient person…okay maybe not, but I had deserved a little slack, didn't I? The past two days had been hell! I fell out of the damn sky! Then fell into some rancid blue goo…then fell down a hill, and then fell into a very horrid situation involving some rude elves and a peeping-tom merboy. I was incredibly sick of the falling.

            "Calm yourself, madam! Everything will be revealed…in time…," he said rather nervously. His eyes roved over my head to the entrance of the cave. "But first, I have things to show you." I finished my soup and stood up slowly. I felt miraculously better, those crazy bananas. The man walked to the craggily mouth of the cave and beckoned for me to follow. I walked cautiously to the edge and peered out.

We were very high up. I could see over the tops of the trees, trees which had very weird colors. Here and there, there were trees with bright pink, and blue leaves. Even the green trees were glowing neon. My eyes had to adjust to the colors for a few seconds, before I could fully take it in. Once I stopped blinking I gasped. It was beautiful! The bright blue of the ocean, the  colorful foliage of the island, and the sun! The sun! I can't really explain it, but the best way would to would be to picture a coloring book; how suns are drawn as a circle with some lines around it. This sun was sort of like that only the little sun rays were sweeping orange and yellow tendrils working their way into every place of darkness.  Maybe it even had a face, but I couldn't bring my eyes to look directly at the floating ball of fire.

            If I squinted I could even see the sea off in the horizon, but straight ahead was a sight that wasn't a very pleasant one. Even from leagues away I could see the violent, bright streaks of lightening striking the dark and turbulent waters. It was a small storm, but something felt very ominous about it. The muscles of my brow contracted as I squinted, trying to get a closer look. "So you see it as well, but do you feel it?" Lee's voice sounded very serious, and I nodded. I glanced at him. He was also squinting, but with a very troubled expression on his face. "Yes, something is coming. Something that I know not about." I was confused again.

            "But it's just a storm. No big deal. Some lightening, thunder, but that's it. Rain isn't that horrible, is it?"

            Lee looked at me seriously, "It never rains here." This only puzzled me further, but before I could ask another question Lee jumped off the edge and whizzed through the green and blue leaves below. "LEE!" I screamed. Suicide is not cool! "LEEEEEEE!"

            "BEA! JUST JUMP!" His voice rang up to me as if out of a bullhorn. It takes a lot for someone to yell over my screams. Caroline used to tell me every time I screamed it was like being attacked by banshees. "You're going to ruin your vocal chords, you know." She would say. How logical, but this was far beyond any sort of Caroline-logic. Jump? How could I? "JUST DO IT BEA!" Rang up again, as if the old man had read my mind. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and walked off the edge.

            Falling through the air is a pretty cool experience. That's why I was so fond of diving, but this was far from diving. There was no safe, chlorine-tinted pool waiting below me. So instead of dropping into cool H2O, I was instead smacked by leaves and twigs and fell some more hitting the occasional branch; until I fell into something rather spongy and bounced up again, and then again, and again until the bouncing subsided.

Finally, I opened my eyes and found myself on a very tangled bed of leaves and branches. They seemed to be interwoven together, creating a small, rather springy net. I breathed a sigh of relief and slumped down again looking into the greenness above me. "See, almost like flying…" Lee grabbed my wrist and jerked me up. I didn't have any time to rest. "This way, hurry it up now." We jogged through the bouncy netting and reached a large tree trunk. I looked through a small gap in the tangle of branches and gulped. We were still at least 30 feet above the floor of the jungle. I hugged the bough, but Lee grabbed my shirt and we trudged out, but rather bouncily, until we reached a large opening in the netting. Steadily, a strange sound made it's way up to the treetops. Laughter and singing. I looked at Lee, who looked at me, and then I looked down.

            I nearly fell through the hole out of shock. There was a small city down there! Small huts crowded the clearing below, and even smaller inhabitants were darting between them. The houses were of all shapes and sizes with thatched roofs and adobe walls. They looked like something straight out of Mexico. Some were barely one story, others were nearly three or four! There was even one immediately below us that looked as if it were higher up than the other ones. Yes, it was. It was a crude Spanish tree house, and it was about ten feet below us.  I looked past the house and saw that some of the people were sitting in groups playing a grubby game that looked sort of like checkers. I remembered Khelo and Snatch…"Are these elves?" I asked with admiration.

            Lee chortled, "Don't be stupid Bea. These kids are very much human, and you'll be joining them very shortly." But how could that be? How could I not have noticed a city of kids?

            Apprehensively I responded, "Join them? Lee, to start I don't even know where I am. Secondly, I don't know who they are, and thirdly what if I don't even speak their language!"

            "Don't be absurd, Bea! Of course you know where you are. You know as sure as your standing here. You can see! Look around, but more importantly look inside yourself. You feel it…you know it."

Of course I did. It was there the whole time. This place was Neverland, a mysterious island I knew nothing about, yet when I was here I felt so whole. I didn't have time to notice it before, but something inside me had clicked into place. I was home, and I knew it, whether I would embrace that fact or not. I watched the kids below me dancing around with happy faces. Music found it's way to my ears.

"Is that The Beatles?"

"I'm not exactly sure what that is, but you'll find out soon enough won't ya'," he looked very happy about something, and I was kind of scared of his enthusiasm for a second. He made his way toward me…

"Wait…Lee…what are you doing…."

"Just remember Bea, you know where I am…if you need anything…"  
            "Lee…" I inched away nervously, but he was surprisingly quicker than me. He launched himself at me and I was sent tumbling through the opening. I was falling yet again. "LEEEEEE" I screamed all the way down.

CRASH! POW! THUD!

I bashed through the thatched roof of the tree house and landed sprawled on my back. "Ughhhh" I groaned, the whole circumference of my head hurting now. And then I was nose to nose with a boy. He looked about my age, maybe a little older, and looked a little Hispanic. He had dark skin, but his hair was shaggy and bleached blonde. His brown eyes and mouth curved into a delighted scowl. "Good. I was kind of missing...," but his looked turned into one of confusion when he surveyed me. "Why are you wearing clothes?" He tugged on my pink tank top. I slapped his hand away and he looked very taken aback.

"I'm NOT A PIXIE!!!" I shouted. "Shit… I AM A HUMAN with PINK HAIR, got it?!! GOOD God, maybe I should just make a signboard or something!"

"OK! Wow," he stumbled back a little defensively as I scrambled into a standing position.

'Well, they speak English here, I guess.' Then he just looked at me puzzled as I brushed myself off.

 "Then why did you just fall through my roof?"

I sighed impatiently, "Do naked pixie's fall through your roof often, then?"

The joke was met with a stupid, quizzical look.

"Ain't none of your business…Let's just put it this way. I'm new here." That's all I could think of. What else was there to say? 'Hello, I'm new to Neverland and could I borrow some of that fairy dust stuff so I could fly instead of fall…' I looked at the kid again. He was a little taller than me and was wearing some dirty, baggy khaki shorts and a dirty once-white tank top. 'He looks able bodied enough,' I thought as I surveyed his muscular arms. He _was_ attractive and if I wasn't in this current mood, he probably could have passed off as hot Could this kid be…? "Uh…so Peter…how's it goin?"

He just squinted at me, more confusion playing upon his face. "What are you talking about…" He seemed to come to a decision. "Let's just do this properly then." He stuck out his hand, "I'm Deryk." Oh, right. How could I be so stupid…I knew what Peter looked like…didn't I? I mean, I think I did…

            "What? Where's this Peter Pan kid…" He just stood there puzzled with his hand sticking out. "You know…come on! Peter Pan…" It was a simple question, but somehow it seemed to insult the boy.

            "What are you talking about…this isn't a theme park with fairies and magic." He snapped the words with spite.

            "What like Disney--" Before I could finish the sentence he had an run over to me and slapped a gritty hand over my mouth.

            "Don't do it! Don't say that word here…just don't do it…if you want to stay unhurt that is." I bit his hand. "OUCH! What was that for?"

            "Your hand was disgusting. Where do you put that thing…never mind…I don't want to know. So what's the deal with the big-bad 'D' word."

            He was looking at his hands with a sort of offended look on his face. "'D' word…oh yea, well firstly…I'm Deryk." He stuck out his hand again.

            Folding my arms, I answered. "And I'm Bea…answer my question, Deryk. I'm getting impatient."

            He look affronted, "Geez, slightly bitchy now aren't we?" I glared at him, "Calm down…no big deal." He reached over and grabbed my arm and tugged. I didn't budge. "Come on…I gotta show you something." Reluctantly, I let him lead me over to a dirty windowsill and I peered down. The sight was hardly as impressive as the one Lee had shown me earlier, but nonetheless interesting. There were a whole bunch of kids, more than I expected, gathered around something that I couldn't see. Below the tree house seemed to be the town plaza. "Welcome to the Ciudad de Jovénes." I turned around and leaned on the railing, facing the guy behind me.

            "What's that supposed to mean?"

            "Oh, it's Spanish. City of the Young. It's not much, but it's fun, and about that D-Disney thing...," he stuttered the word, as if it were unnatural. "Just don't mention it around the kids. We're kind of trapped here. About six or seven years ago, we were all on this thing called 'The D-Disney Cruise Line' and we kinda…never made it home..." His words drifted off and I looked at him, his features weren't very happy now. He looked out the window, but I was sure he wasn't really seeing anything…It dawned on me…

            "Ohhh, the ship!! I remember! That was so long ago though. How did you all make it here? I thought there wasn't even any survivors," I asked, excited now. If they had all survived the disappearance then…Kalea might be here somwhere…

            "I'm not really sure myself. We just all kind of woke up here. Some of us in the lifeboats, some of us in the wreckage, and a lot of us just washed up onshore. We were all accounted for…that is, except our parents."

            Without thinking, I asked, "What happened to them?"  
            "They died."

            I immediately regretted my choice of words. How stupid could I be. "Oh God! That's horrible, I'm really sorry."

            He shook his head, "It's no big deal, we can't remember much. This place does that to you…after a while you just sort of…forget. Well that's what my brother, Julio, told me anyway. He used to live here with me." Deryk looked around his now slightly demolished hut.

            I noticed his eyes lingering on the damage. "Eh…sorry about the roof thing. So…where's he? Your brother, I mean"

            "Dead." The answer was short and blunt, but it left me reeling.

            I shook my head, not knowing what to say. I settled on, "I'm so stupid."

            "No big deal," he said. "It's gotta happen sooner or later. I've got...," he counted on his fingers, "about four more years…"

Confused again and morbidly curious I asked, "What do you mean…you've got four more years…"

"That's just it…I've got four more years 'till I die," he said unenthusiastically.

"You mean…you know when you're gonna die?" I said looking into his deep brown eyes.

"Well, yea. Everyone here does. You just don't make it past 18. That's just the way it is."

"But why?"

"I don't know! I never really thought about it. It just happens. You turn 18 and you die. It just happens!" He didn't seem like he wanted to discuss it any further, so I turned back to look out the window. The kids were still gathered below us, but the edge of the hut blocked out the full scene. I could hear some kids shouting, but I couldn't understand what they were saying. I sighed…'So that means I have only three years and to weeks…that's it…this is fucked up!' I thought with a detached sadness.

"It's not so bad…you just learn to take advantage of the time you have...," I heard him walk behind me. The shouts got louder and my interest peaked a little. I leaned over the railing, trying to see the rest of the group below me. A head rested on my shoulder. "What are you looking at…," Deryk whispered into my ear…

'Ew. What is he doing?' I thought as I squirmed against his back. I leaned further into the railing….

_Snap _

The railing cracked beneath me and I lurched foreword. Deryk grabbed me around a particular sensitive area just below my shoulders…" WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" I squealed.

"Trying to save your life!"

I squirmed some more…'ugh…I'd rather fall'. He was nice looking and everything, but ew. I had just met him! And he was going through some major grief issues. Finally, he couldn't hold my wriggling body any more and I dropped. The wind whistling in my ears, and I waited as the ground below came closer and closer…

_Whoooshh…_

The blurred scenery around me started to move in the opposite direction…up. I found myself in the arms of another boy. At first I thought, 'UGH! Another PERVY boy from the Ciudad!' But I looked down…this time the ground was falling _away_ from me…I was flying. 

………………..................


	8. Queer Parties

Omigosh! I have very, very, very loyal reviewers!! I'd like to thank Pirate, AngelicPirate, Dreamless-Mermaid, and boogalaga! Thanks so much guys! And especially thanks AngelicPirate for that wonderful piece of advice! I had no idea you could choose not to accept anonymous reviews, so I apologize to all of those who tried before and couldn't…Holy BEJEZUS! I have as many reviews as I do chapters…that is of the highest quality of awesome…now without further ado…ONTO THE STORY!

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            Tink was wrong, as she often is. Faeries weren't the smartest creatures known to man, thought they often think they are. So, when she led me to a clearing in the midst of a very large Boingy tree, I just laughed a bit and shook my head. There was no swashbuckling, pirate-slaying action to be had. Instead, there was a large group of children dancing around a noisy black box in the midst of a clearing. I say clearing, meaning it wasn't very clear at all. There were dingy houses stacked all around the base of this tree. They were made of various jungle materials: wood, sticks, leaves, and mud. They looked accommodating, but not as nice as Wendy's house had been. Hers was green with ivy walls and small wooden windows. It even had a door-knocker! These were just made of sticks and mud with twigs for ceilings. Their windows were just open holes in the walls, it just wasn't decent…

The dance below me continued, and it seemed like some sort of strange ritual. The black box was emitting some sort of rhythm that sounded like music. It wasn't music like that of my panpipes, and it didn't sound like anything the faeries would play. "You put your right foot in, you put your right foot out..." The sound wafted through the jungle around me.

'What a queer party,' I thought. Part of me wanted to fly down there and join them. I am Peter Pan! I was their natural leader and everything. I led the Lost Boys, I led the Faeries, I led the Pixies, you name it I lead it! Neverland is mine. I had named everything there, hadn't I? Yes, I was sure I had, and that obviously made the island mine. It always was, always is, and always shall be _mine_.

            But I held back. I didn't recognize any of these kids. I hadn't invited them to my island! I'd never met strangers in my land before, so I fingered my dagger and my arm muscles flexed, ready for a fight, but my anger was just beginning. Looking over the scene again, I noticed a chair set on a platform attached to the bough of the tree, overlooking the small fiesta. It was a very fine chair, indeed. It was entwined with lovely deep forest-green vines, and the chair was big as to be comfortable for its sitter. The glorious chair looked remarkably familiar to the throne I used to own in my willow tree. Sadly, the fine thing disappeared when Slightly did. I inched closer to the edge, trying to get a better look…

            IT WAS MY THRONE! I could see the chair clearly, as if I was standing right in front of it. The slight twinkling of what I knew to be a kiss embedded in the center of the backrest. I tell you, I was so close to zooming down there and beating the hell out of everyone, kid or not. You DO NOT steal Wendy's kiss from me. I gripped the hilt of my dagger. Right before I could lift into a hover, a strange boy hopped onto the platform and plopped down in _my_ chair! Just like that! He sat there laughing at the children, and a few minutes later more older kids had joined him on the platform. Someone had even brought the boy something to eat. They watched the dancing children with mocking entertainment.

            My initial reaction was blazing fury. 'Who dares take my place as leader?!' My thoughts were vividly gory with stabbing the dark, blonde boy repeatedly with my blade. I was particularly enjoying a nice little daydream where I stood laughing over his bloody and mangled corpse, when sadness inched ever so slowly into my head.

            'Have I been forgotten? Was I not the leader anymore?' It seemed so obvious, I had been replaced. Strangers had replaced me. The issue was just too much to deal with at the moment.

            "Come on, Tink," I just wanted to get out of there. I wasn't sure where I would go…just somewhere that was not near this strange city of kids. No use lingering if I wasn't even remembered. Tinkerbelle's light grew blue when she saw my expression. I jumped off the springy net of branches and soared into the blue sky.

            I…Peter Pan…had become a mere myth on my very own island.

                                                …………..

            Fine I'll admit, Tink's discovery wasn't as stupid as I thought it was. The next day my thoughts were consumed by that small patch of civilization in the jungle. I couldn't brood on it for too long, though. Tink's little adventure made me realize how much I'd missed by being pent up in that old tree. I went to the Indy that night to check things out.

            The Indy is a little cave set into the corner of a huge lone mountain occupying the top corner of the Neverland. A small winding creek made it's way into the niche and formed a large still pool near the back of the cavern. The water didn't stop moving there, but I wasn't sure at the time as to where it did go. This movement made the grotto shimmer with light. The water-lights danced off the smooth edges of the cave which were the closest thing resembling that of a mirror. The walls were uneven in most places; so if one were to stand in front of their reflection and look upon it, it would seem as if one had three eyes or very sizeable thighs.

            I touched down in the clearing near the foothills of the mountain and found the familiar dark opening. I made my way into the mouth. For a moment I found myself submerged in complete darkness, but as I walked a little further the light began to shimmer around me. It seemed as if the walls were moving with a glowing, snake-like light. Soon I happened upon the pool of water, and the mirror walls became less cloudy. I turned to the walls and gave myself a once-over. This was the smoothest section of the wall, and despite the chip in the upper right corner that made my ear seem smaller than normal the, image was clear. And the image was quite a shock.

            I knew I'd grown, but I'd never really _seen_ the results. The last time I visited the Indy I was nearly a foot away from the ceiling. Now I had to stoop a little just to fit. I looked at my feet, they were longer and my calves were bigger with muscle. My eyes skimmed to my torso and arms.

I was definitely harrier than the last time I was at the Indy. It was growing from everywhere! I'm not sure where it all came from! It was everywhere: on my legs, my arms, and a little on my chest. There were even little patches of it in my armpits. Gross…manhood was already disgusting. Sadly, I hadn't yet discovered the worst of it.

 I noticed a little trail of the stuff had sprouted just below my bellybutton and led into my ivy breeches. 'No…it can't be,' I was a little nervous, but I had to check it out and I tugged on the edge of my shorts. It didn't help much. I hadn't noticed, but the lining of my breeches had been digging into my skin, making things a little…eh…tighter in that area. I tugged some more. It didn't do anything, but make things a little more uncomfortable. Getting impatient, I finally tore the lining.

_Gasp!_

I looked up, shocked. Being a man was just…too much. I looked down slowly again, and a grin crept it's way onto my face. "Heh, I could get used to this…" I crowed and ended up on the floor in a fit of laughter. Bad idea, my little tear ripped into a gaping hole extending all the way down the middle. I didn't care, though. Chuckling I laid on my back and stared at the shimmering ceiling to the cave. The lights wove in and out of one another and calmed me down a little.

_Sigh_…'This would be a nice place to just sit and relax…wait. Me? Relax? Fat chance!' I chortled some more, it was truly a beautiful place and the grotto floor was cool against my bare back. 'Too bad it's usually infested with…'

"Come sister! Maybe we'll meet him this time! The boy in our mother's stories!" Giggles wound their way around the corner of the tunnel and echoed off the walls around me.

"PIXIES!" shit.

"SISTER! Did you hear that?"

The voices were closer now, and I scrambled into a standing position. Checking out my surroundings, I found that there wasn't many places to hide in a cave of mirrors.

"Yes, I'm sure 'tis him! Oh, it is HIM!"

I spied the small creek and the pool of water. 'It's just big enough,' I thought. Quickly, I jumped into the air and zoomed into the water, splashless, just in time. I hid myself under an outcropping of rock and watched as two pale bodies made their way around the corner.

They both looked the same, as all pixies did: petite with long pink hair and soft, white eyes. They were also lacking some much needed apparel. All the same, their naked bodies were nothing to get all excited about. Pixie's bodies don't mature the same way humans' do. They have small, pale frames and not much to desire from the frontal point of things. Their bodies were exceptionally hairless, except for their shocking pink hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes.

These two were vigorously searching the vicinity of the cave. Stupid, because there wasn't much to look at. "Oh, Noémi, I thought he was here!" One whined.

"Be quiet, Anouk!" The other one snapped. "I thought he was here, as well. The cave has tricked us again!"

"But mommá…mommá says he is here! She said, 'Once the island comes alive look to the cavern of mirrors.' Is this not the cavern of mirrors?" The one called Anouk was whining quite nasally. I wasn't sure how much more of this I could take. Pixie accents were quite romantic and they always rolled their r's with a gusto. That r-rolling combined with a nasal-whine voice was boring it's way into my ears, giving me a dull headache.

"Oh don't be so gullible. Mommá has no idea what she is talking about," Noémi was getting quite haughty and frustrated. "Peter Pan probably does not exist. He is probably just a tale mothers tell their children to lull them to sleep at night. He isn't real! He's just-"

She arrogantly continued, while my impatience gave way to anger. I began to breathe heavier, to the point where I knew I was audible, but didn't do anything about it. Anouk seemed to take notice. "Noémi, shut up," she whispered, but her sister took no notice.

"Oh please Anouk! How could you buy in to those cheap stories! A boy like Peter would never be caught on this horrible island. And the stories about Peter flying! Sheer rubbish! Only pixies can fly without wings-" My breathing grew even heavier as I could feel my blood-pressure rising.

"Noémi, SHUT UP!" The sound bounced it's way around the cavern, and all was silent. Except my breathing. Slowly, both of the girls turned around and I was found. Their eyes widened as I brought myself out from my hiding spot. They gasped as I floated slowly up out of the water. "Who says I'm a myth.! I'm more than a myth…I'm a legend," my voice was steady and sure as I continued to rise up slowly. The pixie's gaped, wide-eyed and shocked. I was completely out of the water now, but I was forgetting one little thing…I mean I was forgetting something completely large…

The rip down my breeches…my goods were exposed to the world, but more specifically two hormone-high young pixies. They squealed with delight. My anger was gone now and I was just embarrassed for a second. The one called Noémi actually reached out to take a handful….luckily my reflexes were quicker. I flew back and they gasped again. Holding my pants together, I flew out of the cavern as fast as I could. I'd never known a pixie to catch up to me before. Now was not any different, but the giggles caught up with me before they did.

I was panicking. If they caught me, no telling what they did to me…nice things…but nothing that I would want from a pixie…I think…yea.

I flew to the only place I knew to be secure…The Pirate's Cove.

                             ……………………

Genius, I know. The pixie's stopped short behind me with a shriek and I zoomed ahead. Hook had died years and years ago, and with him his crew. I remembered the day happily as I landed onto the decaying deck.

It was the best battle I had ever had. . I attacked at the worst possible time for pirates. Dawn. The drunken bastards were still asleep. Nibs, the Twins, Slightly, Tootles, and I crept onboard. Curly had stayed behind, as he often did, the wuss. All he ever wanted to do was read books, and the like. 'Education this, reading that. The stupid cur,' I thought, but my bitterness was replaced by nostalgia once again as I passed by a gaping, splintered hole on the ship's starboard side. I remembered fondly as that being the place where the gigantic crocodile rolled it's way onto the deck. The crock's teeth almost gutted as many as my sword that day. _Almost_. The sea had long washed away the blood and mangled body parts, much to my dismay.

I remembered the men's screams slowly dying away one by one, and then they were gone. All that was left was the captain's cabin, which had been bolted shut. Hook hadn't even come out to face me, the worthless codfish. He thought his men were enough to take me down. That was his downfall.

I strolled to the gritty cabin doors. They were ancient now, and their gilded handles were stained with rust and grime. My excitement peaked as I remembered what had happened in this room, and what might be waiting beyond these doors.

Wendy had been captured by Hook and his mongrels. He thought he could lure me by using her as bait, but I'm not that dim. I knew what he was doing, and I knew what he was planning would fail miserably. I knew about Hook's little secret, and about his little secret's small servants room adjacent to the captain's den. That's where Wendy was.

I sidestepped the captain's doors and slipped, instead, through another doorway. The hinges had long rotted off and the room was bare. I remembered how Wendy was huddled in the corner, bound and gagged. A frizzy-haired girl cowered in the corner with her, whispering to her like a snake. She was a snake, this girl was Hook's daughter, Morgan. His dirty, little secret. I remember the way I grabbed Morgan's wrist and jerked her away as she cried out in shock. She landed with a thud onto the floor behind me, and Wendy's eyes widened with an emotion I still couldn't place. I quickly grabbed her and flew out through the window.

I followed that same route and lifted off from the dusty floor and flew out the window. Then, I had burst through sharp panes of glass, but nothing was left of those. I landed on the forecastle near the foremast. I remember setting Wendy down to lean against the mast. I gingerly removed the gag, and held her in my arms. She said something very peculiar, something that puzzled me for a long time, "DO NOT UNTIE ME!" I ignored her and bent to undo the knot but her foot shot out of nowhere and collided with my jaw. I was angry and my jaw sore, but it was Wendy. I looked into her pleading eyes and nodded.

I still remembered those beautiful blue eyes as I flew to the captain's doors once again. I remember kicking the doors through and galloping in to find Hook cowered over his desk on the other side of the room. He was examining his face in a large mirror that covered the wall. The mirror was cut off, and I suspected it continued into the servant's quarters. Hook had suffered from severe vanity. He glowered, his eyes a malicious red as he spun around, banging his famous steel hook into the desk. Wood chips flew around the room. I remember smiling malevolently myself. It wasn't a game anymore. Hook wouldn't walk away from this one.

Hook, stupidly, left his left hand unguarded and I whipped out my dagger. Speedily, I threw it at his exposed hand. The blade had rung out while blood poured all around, staining the silver. Hook whimpered loudly but stayed still, panting. It was strange, but I didn't think about it at the time. I remember the redness of his blood, but nothing would compare to the scarlet of his eyes. He had whispered something, but it was inaudible. I didn't care what it was, anyhow. I walked around his desk and unsheathed my sword. Slowly. He needed to suffer, and needless to say his impaled hand looked mighty painful. He turned to face me and whispered something again. I noticed he had a black eye, and he was crying. He was weeping blood-red tears. I raised my sword. "You worthless codfish…," I shouted as the door banged open.

"NO! FATHER!" Morgan screamed as I cut my blade straight across the nape of his neck. The head fell with a sickening thud, and the bloody body of the stricken pirate crumbled onto the desk below him. I crowed. Morgan ran, never to be seen again.

The memory was a satisfying one, and I faced the crusty gilded handles once again. Smirking, I swiftly kicked them open with a bang. I expected to see a headless skeleton hunched over it's desk reaching for it's skull, barely feet away. However, there was none of this. The only reminder of the bloody battle that went on here was a large red stain embedded in the wood of the rotten desk. Slightly disappointed, I turned around and walked out of the cabin again. 'I could have sworn it was still here. I ordered the boys not to touch it! Hadn't I?' I tried to think back, but was interrupted when a cold breeze blew out over the deck, and I remembered my little predicament.

Drafty…I looked down and reddened as I remembered why I had gone there in the first place. I needed clothes so I promptly about-faced and went back the way I came. The cabin was dusty and everything was dark and dirty. I walked around the desk and a once-ornate bed. In the corner I spied a chest of drawers. I walked over and pulled on one of the handles.

_Snap_

The whole right side of the chest had collapsed in on itself in a cloud of dust. I sneezed and coughed, but when the dust subsided I reached my hand into the nearest drawer, pulling out a pair of black breeches. They seemed to be a good size when I held them up, so I set them down and began to peel off my vine-shorts. This wasn't an easy task and required much more ripping and tearing than I would have liked, but eventually they came off and I was standing starkers in Hooks' cabin. Feeling a little sheepish, though no one was watching, I quickly pulled on the pants, perfect fit. They were a little baggy at the knees, but no big deal. I looked around, and spied the mirror. It was still there. I studied my reflection. It was acceptable, but I was still bare-chested. Did I really need a shirt? I decided to go for it and reached into the drawer once again and rummaged around until I felt smooth linen. I held up the white shirt.

It was slightly dingy and reminded me of something a girl would wear. So I ripped off the sleeves and put it on. Liking what I saw in the mirror, I stepped out of the cabin. It felt a lot better to be in clothes that fit. Of course I could have stolen something from that city in the jungle, but who needed the complication? I sure didn't.

I wouldn't say I prided myself on the fact that I was wearing Hook's old clothes, but they fit, and I did not want to go around dangling all over the place. I jumped off the ship and flew in the direction of the willow. A zooming ball of light met me halfway. Tinkerbelle flew in front of my face, an innocent jingling disguising the way she was chiding me.

"Oh, please, Tink. So what if I didn't bring you along. You're not my pet, you know." She reddened, but stopped jingling. I flew into the leaves of the willow and stood in the middle of the room. "So what do ya think, Tink?"

She flew two quick circles around me and came to a stop in front of my nose. She was glowing purple with a concerned look. "A pirate?" She jingled questioningly.

I groaned, "No TINK! It's the best I can do at the moment, okay!" She looked indignant and zoomed into her den. I sighed and sat on my bed, I was a little tired. It had been a big day and the sun was just beginning to sink below the horizon. "I guess I'll sleep….ZZzzzzzzzzzz…." It didn't take much more than that.

                                 ……….

The next day I woke up and walked to the opening of the willow. I did my usual crow and Tinkerbelle streaked her way toward the tree in the usual way. But this morning was different, I was happy. Tink wasn't yet to the tree when I heard a stirring in the brush below. Two small green heads popped their way out of a bush.

"Didja hear it?"

"Yea I did."  
            "But can we trust em'?"

"Yea, pixie's are stupid, but they don't lie. Well…usually."

The other one just nodded. They walked on past the tree, their conversation drifting away into the jungle. They had peaked my interest, so I clandestinely floated out of the willow and entered the trees below. I followed them, hiding myself in the leafage.

"So he's back? But I always thought he was a story."

"Of course he's real Snatch, don't be stupid!"

The one called Snatch nodded energetically. Of course they were talking about me. The pixies must have babbled, and no doubt the gossip had sped through the jungle at a right speed. I followed the little arguing elves until I reached the river. They paused for a second and leapt clear across, without so much bending their knees. I had forgotten how weird the elves were.

"Shh…Snatch, shut up! We're close now…"

Close to what, I had not known, but I followed blindly anyway. The two elves stopped below me and I looked ahead. I had followed them clear to the city of children!

"Do ya think that girl made it here?" Snatch whispered.

"What girl?"

"The not-pixie girl."  
            "Oh…her…maybe."

This is not where I wanted to be! Despite myself, I stayed. Talk of this girl…interested me…in a way I wasn't sure I liked…

I sat for a few minutes on a branch and noticed that kids were gathering around the giant trunk of the Boingy tree. 'Probably doing that queer dance again,' I thought. I was a little taken aback when the group formed a circle and two boys began wrestling in the center of it. The spectacle was an odd one, as each of the scrawny boys tried to hit each other in the face. Neither successful in doing so. Amused, I grinned and stayed on my branch.

_CRASH_

It echoed around the clearing and seemed to come from above me. I looked up and spied a house built a little higher than where I was sitting. I hadn't noticed it before. I had never seen such an scheme. A house built in the limbs of trees…it was a good idea…Shouts followed the crash and I looked up to the window. Shadows were moving inside and for a few minutes all I heard was muffled conversation. Until the girl stepped to the window. The sight of her made me breathless once again. Those eyes…they swept the ground below her as she tried to see what was below her. Suddenly the blonde boy was at her side, head resting on her shoulder. What was he doing? Anger flooded it's way into my system and I stood up on the branch. The girl's face changed, to an expression I recognized easily. Annoyance. She squirmed against his back and…_snap_….

She was dangling below the house, the boy held her by the…well that wasn't decent. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" she screamed.

"SAVING YOUR LIFE!" the boy roared back. The girl squirmed again and the boy's hands unclenched their vise-grip.

I saw it as if in slow motion….she fell, ever so delicately to the jungle floor.

What else could I do? I sped out of my hiding place, not caring who saw. She was all that mattered, and I would not let her be pancaked. The world was a blur and it was just me and this Bea girl. Barely ten feet from the ground, I caught her in my arms and barely got out of the clearing when her hands flew around my neck and held on for dear life. It would have been really cute, if I was able to breathe…

……………………......................................

Oh geez phew. Sorry if I killed you with the length of this one. Oh and I apologize for the wait. Finals can be a bitch. Until next time!

-Gwen


	9. Flying Without Wings

So there I was flying without wings, held tight by strong, manly arms…so I freaked out…naturally.

Without even a glance at my rescuer, I flung my arms around his neck and held on for dear life. My face was smashed against his grungy collarbone and I had grabbed fistfuls of his linen shirt. I began to hyperventilate…and, you know, that can't be at all attractive, fogging up some boy's chest like that…but I mean I was freakin' hurtling through the air at practically the speed of sound!

I hate it how some people would describe their first time flying with words like wonderful, exhilarating, or amazing, unless it's amazing or exhilarating in a completely horrible, caught by surprise way. Think about it, you are suspended in the sky with nothing but air surrounding you and there sure as hell ain't no safety net. There is no thick metal support cable shooting you to the next floor. In the sky, there are no elevator cables; you just have yourself, or pertaining more to this situation, the boy you are hanging onto. But what happens when…_you_ snap?

I clutched tighter, my arms winding themselves around the guy's neck. I guess I did it with a little too much vigor because a few seconds later a deep voice tickled my ear, "Y-you're ch-choking me…" somehow, the tickling sensation worked its way all the way down to my toes then back up again. I don't know what was up with that, but somehow…someway it made me relax, it made me feel safe.

Insane…I know.

I heard the boy gasp for air and we continued to surge upward. My breathing slowed eventually and I tried to make myself more comfortable in the boy's arms. When I use the word comfortable, I don't mean snuggled closer to the guy. What I was doing was trying to convince myself of what was really happening; some alternate explanation…anything other than this.

The last time I had close bodily contact with a boy was when I hugged Damien…well…I guess it wasn't really a hug per-se…but whatever. He kind of caught me as I tripped at Caroline's house and spilt my sweet potato casserole all over him. So you can see the predicament I am in right…right?!

So I wasn't comfortable at all really, but I did learn something new. When you're that close to a person for a prolonged amount of time, you begin to notice things. Things like: how fast their heart is beating, how comfortable they are to lay on…how toned they are under their thin clothing…things of that nature…even their smell. Sadly, this boy's nice abdominal and back muscles did no evoke in me a stronger emotion than that of his smell. I began to, unintentionally of course, breathe him in. He smelled sweet like flowers, earthy like fertile soil, and dewy like the mist left by a midsummer rain. Every breath I took something rose in me, something I could not force back down. Some long lost part of me seemed to wake up…then I needed to know. I yearned to know who my captor was, though I think some part of me already knew who it was, and all it took was a slight raise of my head…so I tipped my chin back and strained my eyes to look at my hero. Then _it_ happened.

With a jolt that felt like I had just awoken from one of those falling dreams, my emotions and thoughts were thrown to the back of my mind. It was all so sudden, I didn't know why or how, but I was hella scared. It seemed I looked out through my eyes merely as an observer, a guest inside my own mind. I couldn't feel my body and for the moment it seemed that all I could do was exist. I started to struggle, and believe me, I fought like hell to be able to control myself, but it was too late. I was trapped in some chamber of pain in my own mind. I tried to work my own mouth, to blubber some kind of obscenity, but every time the effort awarded me with a pain so sharp in my heart it would have thrown me into a fit of agony, if I had been in control of my own body. All I could do was watch out of my own eyes.

The boy that saved me didn't seem to notice my altered mentality as he was focused on the sky. In a few moments we would rocket through the canopy into open air, hundreds of feet above the jungle floor.

To my horror I watched my own hands work themselves from their position of clasping each other around the boy's neck…to gripping his neck between my hands. I felt a hatred somewhere that burned my mind like a searing fire that seemed to engulf my eyes because they were burning like mad. I wanted to blink furiously, but I could only sit there as my vision went scarlet. My nails began to dig into the boy's skin. I applied a slight pressure to the gap above his collarbone…then harder…and then harder. I didn't notice the boy slow down and begin sputtering again. I didn't notice when he grabbed handfuls of my skin to try to get me to stop. I didn't even notice when we started to drop slowly downward. I saw the confused and hurt look on the boys face and I felt my face twist into a sick grin. I know I didn't want to hurt this boy. I struggled harder in my mind and the pain wove its way through my heart. My soul was on fire…then something finally gave.

Something rose from my own mentality. Something that was dormant, I felt it wake. It grew through me like a fiery passion and overcame the hatred. I knew it wasn't going to hold it off though, but somehow I also knew I only needed a few seconds. My hands flew to the boys cheeks and his eyes grew wide. "Peter!" I screamed. It was my voice…the sound I mean…but I screamed in an _British _accent…and…I'm definitely not British. I felt the hatred growing and separating me from myself again. In a panic I screamed again, "PETER!" The boy's eyes were like gigantic blue moons. I couldn't read his expression. I didn't have any time left. My mind began to burn again, more severely this time.

In the midst of my inward struggle I noticed something whistling up through the jungle. I heard it's strange whizzing noise and watched as a blur popped out of the green and ripped it's way through the boy's shoulder. I heard a cry of pain then…

He dropped me.


	10. Into the Fire

I know it's been forever!! I'm working on it okay! I don't want to give up on this story because I LOVE IT SO MUCH! So read review, do you thing whatever, and I'll get crackin' on the next chapter. See you later, kids!

3 Jennibelle

P.S I decided to edit it a little bit because this chapter is a teeny bit confusing. Thanks AngelicPirate for pointing that out!! EEh! Well I'll just tell you that the chapter switches from Bea falling to jungle floor to later that day Bea sitting at the Ciudad...hope that clears things up for people! Sorry! Anyways...read on...and I'll get crackin on the next one, but I so have to write a history paper write now...ugh shoot me.

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I watched the crackling fire in a semi-conscious daze. I still couldn't quite comprehend what had happened to me that day. Nothing from the past few days seemed real, but if it was a dream I would've woken up by now, right? I curled my legs to my body and rested my chin on my knees, still staring at the blaze. I was sitting alone on the jungle floor, trying to distance myself from the rest of the older group of the Ciudad. They were sitting in a group discussing something…most likely me. It wasn't like I received the warmest, most golden welcome possible…or maybe it was the way I reacted to them…who knows? I brought my mind back, for the millionth time that night, to earlier that day.

The last thing I remember seeing before I plummeted through the canopy was Peter clutching his bloody shoulder with a look of confused anguish on his face. His eyes were locked on mine as the green forest swallowed me up. I crashed through the branches and the pain of it seemed to bring me back, the blazing inferno going on inside of my mind stopped abruptly. I reached out and tried to grab random branches on my way down, but all this awarded me was a pair of bloody hands. Then…BOOM! Out like a light. I suppose I must have hit my head on a particularly large branch or bumped into a tree trunk, but whatever it was knocked me out. Which was great because by then I'd definitely spent more time on the island unconscious than anything.

Thirty stories and several broken bones later, I landed sprawled on my back. The impact knocked me out of my unconscious state somehow and I opened my eyes to a very blurry world. Pain was rampant throughout my body. I couldn't feel my arms or my legs, and my back twisted at a strange angle. I lay there for a while looking up at the forest greenery, realizing that I couldn't sit myself up. I couldn't feel my body.

I started to cry, but I don't think it was because of the pain. I thought I was dying. I thought that these would be the last moments I'd ever spend on this crazy island. That thought, more than anything, scared me the worst. I felt had something to finish and if I didn't, everything I'd done in the past would be in vain.

I thought of my rescuer, Peter, the way he held me, like he'd done it so many times before that. I thought of his smooth skin, his wild dirty-blonde hair, and those eyes, those beautiful blue eyes. I opened my tear soaked eyes, and the realization that I couldn't wipe the tears away made me cry louder. I don't know how long I lay there before I realized what was going on around me.

Like I said, my vision was blurry and I couldn't see very well. I thought the sparkling around me was the blurred sun shining through the canopy or something, but when it didn't go away after a while…I panicked…Was I dying?! Were those little glinty things angels taking me to Heaven…or was I going to Hell?! "Damnit! I knew I should've let Caroline take me to church more often!" But the lights didn't go away, they just got brighter. I closed my eyes, giving up and inviting what I thought to be inevitable death.

I sat on the dusty ground, still staring into the bright orange flame feeling its warmth settle into my bones. The heat reminded me of the strange moment when I realized that I wasn't going to die. I remembered music; something like panpipes or maybe chimes. I couldn't be sure. I remember opening my eyes and seeing nothing but light. Something whispered in my ear, "Shhh…" The warm breath made me drowsy so I closed my eyes once again. The music grew louder and I felt a tingling moving up through my legs followed by a heat, not unlike the heat from the fire. My breathing grew deep and the heat slowly worked its way from my toes to overtake my body, all the while the music went on. The warmth seemed to flow to the tips of my hair…and then it broke. The music stopped and I exhaled, opening my eyes.

The green jungle canopy welcomed me with all of its greeny sharpness. The world was clear once again and everything seemed normal again. The birds were chirping, and the light was gone. I sat up and looked into the bush immediately in front of me. I couldn't be sure if it was my imagination or not, but I could have sworn that I saw a face smiling at me for the briefest moment before something crashed through the bush. In a blur of motion, the face was gone. It was replaced instead by a rag-tag looking bunch of teenagers.

I shifted a little and leaned against the base of a tree. I hadn't moved since earlier that afternoon and my butt was falling asleep. The discussion far to my right had apparently grown heated. Yelling caused me to look over. An Asian looking girl with black dreadlocks was standing up and screaming into the face of a freckled, red-headed guy. She was yelling something about me being ungrateful and a hassle already or something and then she was screaming off in a tangent at no one in particular about me attracting the Other Kind with my unsightly hair or something or other. I looked around the rest of the group and caught Deryk's eyes looking at my own. I looked away sharply, feeling a prickle of annoyance and anger.

Deryk had stepped out of the middle of the group of teens. He knelt down in front of me with a concerned expression on his face, "Are you okay?" He asked…rather stupidly, I might add.

"Oh yeah Deryk, I'm just great. I almost got hit by a freaking arrow, and I just fell three thousand feet! You do realize that this is entirely your fault right?" The group behind Deryk bristled and started to move foreword, but he stopped them. He tried to give me a hand to help me get up, but I rejected it and stood up myself. After attempting to brush off my very dirty body, I looked up to survey the group of teens. Immediately I felt the tension. Apparently I said something that was a complete faux pas. All six of them were shooting daggers at me with my eyes…well except the one on the end. He was kind of laughing. "What?" I shrugged at them.

The dredlocked Asian immediately got all up in my face, "Do you realize what just happened?! There's not even a scratch on you. Deryk saved your life!"

Very affronted I pushed her off slightly, a gesture which caused a gasp from her posse. "From what I can gather…Deryk almost killed me! First he tries to push me off his balcony and then he_ shoots_ the one person trying to rescue me from this HELL!" I screamed the last word in her face, and I won't lie, I probably inadvertently spat on her a few times. Remembering the blood and the look on Peter's face made me angrier still. I whirled around to face Deryk, "Why did you have to shoot him anyway?! You could have killed him! You could have killed me! What if you missed?!" I was speaking fast again, but I made sure Deryk caught every word.

"Bea, you don't understand. The island's dangerous. We've had three disappear from our numbers since we discovered Them," his eyes were serious and his tone grave. "Most of Them have learned to avoid the limits of the Ciudad, but we still have to be alert!" Deryk didn't have to explain who They were. I could guess from the way he said it, _They_ included anything on the island that was remotely less than human, which made me angrier still.  
"Oh shut up Deryk. Them? Puh-lease. You seem to be pretty friendly with 'Them' yourself," I looked him dead in the eye. He knew what I was talking about. I'm sure he's had plenty of run-ins with the island's Pixies. He had even thought I was one of them!

But Deryk took my hands in his and looked me dead in the eye and said, "Bea I don't know what you're talking about, but we have to get you out of here. It's not safe." From then on I knew I couldn't trust him. I wretched my hands from his grasp and pushed my way through the group. I didn't really have any idea where I was going, but I trudged through anyway. I found a beaten path and followed it to what I knew to be the Ciudad. I sat myself near a tree on the outskirts of the clearing and tried to ignore the prying eyes of the cities residents. There I sat in silence for the rest of the day. I didn't even say a word when a little blonde girl was sent to light a fire in the pit in front of me. The moment I made eye contact with her, she winced and ran away.

I don't know what it was that made me come back here. Maybe it was the idea that Lee thought I was supposed to stay here. If he came looking for me to take me away, this is where he would look first. Staring into the fire, I didn't notice the boy approach until he was right next to me. I looked up expecting to see Deryk and expecting to yell again, but it was one of the boys from the group in the jungle. He was the one that seemed to find the confrontation hilarious. He extended a hand that grasped a very ragged looking blanket, "We weren't expecting and visitors, m'lady. So with regret I inform you that you're going to have to sleep on the floor this fine evening." His Australian accent sounded mocking but he was pleasant-faced enough for me to disregard this.

I snatched the blanket from his hands and spread it out beside me. I prepared to lay myself down, but I realized that the boy hadn't left yet. I tipped my head back to look up at him and in an equally mocking tone I asked, "Anything else, sir?"

He laughed and bent down, "See you in the morning." Then he walked away. Whatever. I lay on my side and commenced again, to staring into the fire. I hoped, wherever he was, that Peter was okay…

Oh and reviewers guessing about where the story is going....you're pretty damn close...Good Lawd!


	11. Every Step I Took Was One Into Darkness

I'd like to give a big thanks to Marlyn Manson for his awesome music and endless amounts of inspiration and I highly, HIGHLY recommend you listen to him while reading the beginning of this chapter. I'd LOVE to thank all of my faithful reviewers. Muchos gracias to sugerplumfairy, tigerlynn, DreamlessMermaid, AngelicPirate, Alamo Girl, The 5th Pen, Apple, and Pirate. You guys seriously rock, and I really enjoy reading your comments and reading your stories!

And With that…on to the story!

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_Click…Click…Clickity-Click…Ka-CHING! _

_**July 27, 1889**_

**_Dearest Jane, _**

**_You must think that I am a perfect bully for not writing you sooner! I know that you'll say I'm awfully old-fashioned for doing so but the phone seems dreadfully impersonal, although, I am very fond of this type-writing machine that I found in the discount boot down the street. It was quite a deal! Things here in London are going swimmingly. Your uncle Michael is doing just fine. His arthiritis seems to be getting better, but whether this be because of the drugs the hospital keeps him on or on his own volition, we might never know. The Great Ormond Street Hospital dedicated a new wing of the building in his honor! He gave a marvelous speech, well, it was marvelous until we all realized he had accidentally mixed his medicine with a sidecar! He keeled right over into the bread pudding! It was simply delightful! _**

**_And Jane, you need not send me that monthly check! How often must I tell you that I get along perfectly on my own! I'm an old girl and I don't have many things, or years for that matter, to do any spending on at all. I hope that your trip to New York last week went well. Say hello to your little darlings for me, though they're probably not so little anymore. Visit soon and write or call if you have the chance!_**

**_With Love, _**

**_Wendy Darling_**

_At the sound of the last ka-ching! I gently took the paper from the machine and waved it in the air for a few seconds. Setting it down, I sighed and picked up my purse taking out my golden compact mirror. I checked my reflection. At 87 years, I had definitely become a certified Old Maid. I smiled at the thought of me, Wendy Darling, growing up into an old wrinkly woman! The absurdity! Yet it had truly happened. I put the mirror away yet the image of a wrinkly, gray-haired woman stayed with me. 'What Peter would think if he could see me now!' I thought, though Peter had not visited me for well over half a century. With a hint of remorse I made my way into my small kitchen. I had a very odd craving for some Ramen noodles and cursed lightly when I found that my vast supply had been depleted under my very nose. _

_Looking around for something other than freeze-dried noodles to eat, I found my cupboards bare! It must have been that nice Jack boy from the apartment next-door that had been helping me around the house with various odd-jobs. He had quite an appetite, that one. It was no use, I'd have to go to the store some time or other anyway, and it was a nice night. What could it hurt if I made the short trip down the street to the grocers? My mind made up I put on my coat, one can never be to sure with this English weather, and headed out. _

_It had been quite a while since I had been out alone at night. The shadows seemed longer than normal and I could hear every rustle of paper along the street. My neighborhood was a small one, but I still wasn't quite sure if it was normal for it to be so deserted, even a night. It was just so eerie. I was halfway to my destination when I heard it. A rustle of bushes immediately behind me. Whirling around as fast as an old lady dared, I faced…a normal shrub. Phew. 'In addition to growing older, I have grown quite paranoid,' I assured myself. Though I couldn't help that warning prickliness one usually feels when there is danger lurking about. I turned foreword and began to walk again. _

_Was it my imagination, or were the shadows growing? Every step I took was one more into darkness. Until I took that last step and the darkness encompassed everything. Whirling around, all I could see were the very faint outlines of shrubbery or the very tops of the houses. The very stars and moon seemed to have fled for the moment. Soon I became aware of the quiet clip-clop, clip-clops that were making their way in my direction. The clip-clop, clip-clops that turned the very blood in my veins to ice. I've heard those somewhere before…_

_Soon I spied the outline of what appeared to be a young man. I recognized the messy head of hair. For a moment I relaxed, "Oh Jack, it's just you!" _

_"Not quite…Wendy…" He hissed my name. Like a snake. _

_"Jack I'm not sure what you mean, but you'd best be getting home! You're mother would be quite worried about you by now!" He chuckled at my suggestion. Something about Jack's whole demeanor had changed. The nice little boy that fetched my groceries was replaced with a delinquent with an arrogant swagger in his step. _

_"It's been years Wendy. I was sure you'd remember. Luckily, well luckilyfor me, you didn't," he was barely a foot in front of me now. Suddenly, the full moon came out, as if a cloud had been swept away just for this purpose, and illuminated Jack's teenage face. His eyes were crimson. He smirked at me with a cold smile. "I guess it's true what they say about growing up. The memories just sort of slip away from you, don't they…I'm almost disappointed you don't remember a nightmare like me…"_

_With a great gasp it all came back. Everything. Those painful nights on the island when I thought I'd just contracted some sort of strange flu. I didn't know the sickness had attached itself to my very soul. "Jack…it can't be. You left! I was sure you left!" I cared not to disguise the panic in my voice. "How?"_

_He snickered again. "It never ceases to amaze me, Wendy. You're all caught up in the details. Why wonder how? When the important thing is why?" He stepped closer to me and was barely inches from my face. I shook and it was as if I'd been transported back to my stay in Neverland. I couldn't do anything. Jack wielded a horrible power. A power of control. _

_I saw his hand come to my face and felt his cold skin stroking my cheek. "Why, Jack?" I managed to whimper. The next moment happened all to fast. His arm jutted toward my stomach and suddenly a cold feeling of steel separated my abdomen. _

_"Revenge," he hissed. His body dematerialized right in front of me. Instead of the body of a teenage boy, there stood in its place a shadow that no light would dare penetrate. I watched it for the moment it hovered in front of me. Life was draining quickly out of my body, but I knew I couldn't let him escape. I flung my arms around the shadow, falling on top of it onto the hard cobblestone sidewalk. The darkness seared my flesh and I heard the shadow screaming. _

_Or maybe that was me. _

_I had him trapped. He wasn't getting away this time. Not in this life. Not in the next._

_……………………….............................._

SPLASH!

I was shocked awake by the sheer coldness of the water. "HOLY CRAP!" I jumped to my feet. Residual fear had stayed with me from my trip back from dream world. I quickly grabbed whoever it was that was standing directly in front of me and buried my soaking face into the front of their shirt. To my distinct shame, I began to sob.

"Oh my God. Bea. I'm really sorry! I didn't know you would get so upset. It's just that you were sleeping like a dead animal and I tried waking you up and…"

I recognized Riley's Australian babble and regretfully detached myself from his chest. I wiped my eyes off, although the fact of Riley the Gorgeous seeing me splotchy eyed made me want to cry all over again. "I didn't mean to scare you or anything. Brekkie's on the table and I didn't think you've been eating well this past week so I thought that…"

"Riley, it's ok. I just had this really horrible nightmare. I'm really sorry if I assaulted you or whatever." It was really quite touching how worried about me he was, though. After that we just sort of stared at each other for a moment; one of those weird awkward silence things.

"So….," we both said at the same time. Reddening I pushed past him.

"Smells good. See you later Riley." '_Hopefully_,' I thought. I walked through the beaded doorway of the adobe hut into the clearing, using my nose to guide me, as I did every morning, to my breakfast table. And I say _my_ breakfast table because that is seriously what it was. As far as I could tell, this city had a social structure, and just like in school, this was demonstrated by where people sat at lunch. There were tons of lunch tables, as there was an abundance of kids everywhere. The littler kids sat on the left side of the dining area and the older ones sat on the right. My table was sort of in the middle.

I grabbed a pear from the buffet and pushed past all of the prying eyes that had greeted me every morning for the past week. Today, however, I was not alone. I plopped down onto the rough bench and sat just across from a very shaggy little boy with gigantic green eyes. Those green eyes were currently boring into, who else but, me. "Um…hi," I said cautiously. He just stared. "I'm Bea." Stare. "Or not…" Right when I was getting adjusted some little kid has to be creepy andthrow me off!

I'd been there for nearly a week, and I'd pretty much grown accustomed to the gist of the ciudad. Here's how an average day for me went so far: wake up, drag myself to the breakfast table and eat fast, avoid people, walk around for a while, wolf down lunch, see how far I could wander into the jungle before someone noticed me and brought me back, walk around some more, scarf down dinner and make it a point to avoid the nightly ciudad party, then sleep again. So, _I _was adjusted but the ciudad had definitely not adjusted to me. I wasn't exactly welcomed with opened arms, but no one had yet bothered to go out of there way to talk to me, well, except Riley. But he doesn't count. He's weird. But so incredibly cute. Maybe I was partially to blame for this. I didn't exactly exude friendliness and I sure as hell didn't go out of my way to talk to anyone.

So that morning at breakfast that boy was particularly unnerving. I tried to bite into my pear, but have you ever tried to eat while someone was staring at you. It's creepy. "Look, are you just going to keep staring at me like this or…," then I figured, why be nice? "Take a picture, kid, it lasts longer." The boy laughed and finally his gaze shifted to his breakfast and he began to eat. I laughed a little myself, which felt incredibly good.

"I'm Ryan," he said, but because he was chewing his food he said it like W-yan. It was adorable.

"I'm Bea," and with that we both began devouring our fruit. He was eating something that looked like a watermelon, but I couldn't be sure. The fruit here was really weird. The only fruit I found to be remotely normal was the pears, at least I thought they were pears. Only these pears were way better than even those really juicy gift pears that you get at Christmas.

I had just finished wiping the pear juice from the first bite off of my face when I heard it. A bloodcurdling shriek interrupted everyone's breakfast that morning. I dropped my pear and everyone around me literally jumped out of their chairs, a few knocking their benches over. Dead silence for a moment, I could even hear Deryk unsheathing his dagger a few tables away…There it was again, thatawful wail. I flinched and stood up slowly. It was coming from the direction of where the houses were. We all stood tense for a moment then we saw the girl running in our direction. It was one of the more popular girls, not from the ciudad royalty table (Deryk, Riley, Tora the dreadlocked Asian, etc…), but she was well known enough that I recognized her. Or at least she looked familiar somehow…

She stumbled and tripped into the dirt. Right on cue the Royalties jumped through the crowded dining area and quickly to the girl's side. I could hear her sobbing, but I couldn't understand a word she was saying. I looked behind me and saw that the whole dining area had climbed onto their tables to get a good look. It seems as I had a front row seat to the action. The girl continued sobbing and the group looked worried. Very worried. I made eye contact with Riley and he motioned for me come over.

Naturally I looked behind my shoulder to make sure he was talking to me, and walked over. "What is it?" His big brown eyes looked concerned and if Riley was worried, I was definitely worried.

"It's Ricky. He's dead."

I gasped, "Oh my God! Riley! How?!" He grasped my shoulder and quieted me with a "Shhh...," and he leaned toward me and whispered into my ear, "Cumpleaños de Muerte…" It was at that moment that I had never felt more helpless in my entire life.

When I came to the ciudad, I was given a hut just like everyone else had. It was empty when I received it. I didn't ask why. I didn't really want to know why. I lived on the bottom floor and there were two rooms above mine. The first room was occupied by Riley and his roommate Ricky. Riley was the more sociable of the two, but Ricky seemed like a nice guy. In the first few days I was here Riley explained everything to me about the city: the mealtimes, a lecture on how Deryk was the king and he should be obeyed (blah, blah blah), and especially Cumpleaños de Muerte. Literally translated from Spanish it means birthday of death. And that's just what it was. Something, I wasn't quite sure what then, but something prevented people from aging past eighteen. A fact that highly disturbed me.

That day was my first real brush with death. And it was all too much to handle.

I stepped back and Riley's hand fell from my shoulder. His eyes were very red."I gotta go, Riley. I just…"

He took a step toward me, "Bea…" And while everyone's attention was focused on the sobbing girl, I ran.

I ran towards the end of the encampment and crashed through the edge of the woods. There weren't any paths, but I didn't care. I didn't even pay attention to where I was running and I probably would have seen it if I was aware…

_Crash_…I bowled right over two little forms crouching low in the underbrush. I landed on my side and groaned for a moment, feeling all of the tiny twigs poking into my ribs and something had cut into my leg. Not a moment later I was overshadowed by two highly annoying shadows. I recognized the grass-green hair and pointy ears.

"Now really, madam was that really necessary?As of todaywe have been visually, verbally, AND physically attacked by you! Well done, not-pixie!" I threw out a punch at Khelo's insufferable face, but he quickly dodged it. "I beg your pardon, ma'am!"

I slowly stood up and did my best to ignore them, brushing off my very dirty shorts. I was definitely not in the mood for _this_…"Why the long face Bea-girl? We've brought you a message," Snatch squeaked cheerfully.

"That's right. You're little Undine friend says hello and he asked us to bring this," at _this_ Khelo looked at Snatch, who just stared at him. "Well…Snatch…let's have it!"

"I thought I gave it to you…"

Khelo groaned. "No you blockhead. You didn't."

"Oh….right!"

As Snatch rummaged through his outfit, which apparently had more storage than it appeared to contain, I asked Khelo, "I'm not sure I heard you right…um…Undine?"

Khelo gave me a very impatient and belittling glance, "And Undine is a water sprite…" I still must have had a clueless look on my face. "You know…a water spirit. They take care of the fish and merry-make with the humans…" And at my "Oh..," of understanding he added, "Yes and our friend Micah is a particularly rare one. They're usually very attractive females. It really is a shame that Micah isn't an attractive female-" He paused abruptly and went rigid. The elf looked around as if he had heard something andwith a glanceat Snatch who was still rummaging in his trousers, he shrugged and dismissed whatever it was he thought he heard.

"At any rate, here we are…," and at that Snatch finally produced whatever it was Micah wanted to give me. I reached for it and gave it a once over. It appeared to be a large green acorn attached to a long gold chain. "He told us that you were searching for it."

It took me a moment, but I remembered the lie I told Micah on my first minute on the island. Going along with it I said, "Oh yes. Tell him I say thanks."

"Sure we will Bea-girl the not-pixie. It really is very lucky that you came running out here like this. Snatch and I were not looking to sneak into the ciudad. Whoo-ey not after the last time…,"

But I didn't get to hear about the last time. In a flash of motion I was tackled, rolled and shoved onto my back, a dagger poised inches from my face.

"We've better be leaving now Bea-girl. Bye and GOOD LUCK!" I heard Khelo and Snatch take off into the jungle.

Glancing past the pointy steel barely inches from my forehead, I instantly recognized my captor. Ohhh boy did I recognized him. Bandaged shoulder and all. It was the boy I had called Peter.

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A/N: Phew! That was quite a trip wasn't it?! I'm sorry if I killed you with the length of that one. I just couldn't stop. I hope I've gotten it to move along fast enough for you…or kind of. I know it's mean to add a cliffhanger but I just couldn't help it. It keeps you all hungry for more! And I do have a question for those who do read the story and comment ahem. I was wondering if I should change the title because maybe it isn't attention-grabbing enough. If you could give me your input on that I'd be eternally grateful. Anyway, Merry Christmas to all of you! Or Merry insert holiday here! Now see that adorable little Go button down there?! Press it for gosh sakes!!

With Love,

Jennibelle


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